Final Fantasy: Crossroads of Destiny PART I
by Loneflame
Summary: PART I of III --COMPLETE-- Sifan Leonhart is taken to the world where the evil destroyed by the deceased Cloud Strife is resurging. As he realizes the purpose of his travelling to his new world, he finds himself slowly in love with Cloud's daughter.
1. CHAPTER 1

Chapter 1  
  
Sifan Leonhart ran across the balamb garden hallway hoping that none of the garden instructors had seen him. It had been around two hours since the classes had started and it was the third time Sifan was late that week. He repeatedly tapped the elevator call button and waited for the elevator to arrive impatiently. The elevator door slid open and Sifan jumped inside and again tapped away at the buttons. He usually didn't care about being late but to pull it off three times in a row would get him into trouble with the garden faculty, which Sifan knew only too well.  
  
He walked out and saw the shiny corridor looking deserted. Not even a junior classman was standing around.  
  
[This is just one of those days.]  
  
He nervously walked to his classroom door, which slid open the moment the sensors picked up Sifan near it.  
  
[Ok...today is Tuesday, which means, Quistis...phew.]  
  
"As you all know, dragon guardian forces like Bahamut prefer to occupy lonely dark places." rang out Instructor Quistis Trepe's voice when Sifan walked in to the classroom in the middle of a lesson on habitation of Guardian forces  
  
Quistis' icy blue eyes fell on the dark-haired boy who had just walked in.  
  
"Ahem."  
  
The class broke into tiny sounds of laughter mainly because of Sifan's regularity in coming late to class.  
  
Quistis sighed, "Sifan... do you realize-"  
  
"Yes. I know. I am late. I am sorry." Sifan interrupted trying to finish the conversation as early as possible.  
  
"We all know you're late." Quistis continued, "However...you seem to have forgotten you have a field examination today."  
  
"Oh yeah, that. Uh.no. I didn't forget." Sifan lied.  
  
"Then where's your gunblade, hmm?"  
  
The class again broke into fits of laughter. They were enjoying the situation more than Sifan was.  
  
[Okay okay, enough already.]  
  
"Meet me after class Sifan. You may go to your seat." Quistis said, turning her attention back to the large computer screen that showed a picture of the deserted research center where Bahamut resided.  
  
On his way to his desk, a flame-haired boy gave Sifan a smirk and shook his head and sighed as if to say, 'some people never change.'  
  
Sifan ignored him and proceeded to sit at his desk next to a handsome young man, his best friend Avatar Fenis, who gave a slight chuckle as Sifan switched on his computer.  
  
"What was the problem? The alarm wasn't loud enough today too?"  
  
"What are you doing here?" Sifan quipped, "You're supposed to be in the physical arts section."  
  
"Hey...no harm learning a little magic. Besides, they just teach the same old stuff in physical arts class anyway" the blue-haired boy said.  
  
"Whatever." Sifan muttered and turned to the computer screen.  
  
[Hmm...I hate these stupid field exams.]  
  
Sifan touched the 'objectives' button on his screen and the computer listed out his objectives for the field exam.  
  
1. Train with fellow student (classman)  
  
2. Stock a minimum of 10 fire spells.  
  
3. Assemble at garden gate.  
  
[Train with fellow student. cant do it with Avatar, he's a physical arts student.]  
  
"Your attention please" Quistis said, "for objective one. I have paired your names. I will now read it out to you. And the place where you are supposed to train."  
  
The flame-haired boy sitting in front of Sifan who had earlier smirked at him sighed in frustration, "Damn.. I was hoping I could nail your ass, kiddo," he said directing his head at Sifan.  
  
[What is Relafen's problem?]  
  
"Just ignore Relafen" Avatar said, "he's been on a high since this morning."  
  
"Take that back Fenis!" Relafen hissed.  
  
"Relafen Almasy and Avatar Fenis!" Quistis said firmly, "will you two let me proceed?"  
  
"I'll get you later" Relafen muttered again.  
  
"Now." Quistis said, "Please move immediately as I call out your names in pairs with your training place."  
  
"Avatar." Quistis said, "You are to proceed to your physical arts classroom where you will be instructed further."  
  
"See ya later pretty boy" Avatar mumbled and proceeded across the classroom after winking at a girl who giggled at him.  
  
"Please pay attention closely," Quistis said, "The following are your locations and partners. Zeron - Aaron at Floor B1 end room. Altraz- Gerald at floor B2 combat ring. Sifan - Relafen at the training center."  
  
[Oh great.]  
  
Sifan got up and proceeded across Relafen whose satisfied smirk started to get on Sifan's nerves. He waited near the door in order to meet Quistis. The students soon cleared the classroom leaving Quistis, Relafen and Sifan alone.  
  
"Boys." Quistis said, "Now I don't want any blood you hear? You'll make contact only with your weapons. Remember, your enemy is out there. Not in front of each other."  
  
"Yeah I know..." Relafen snapped, "Just tell precious Leonhart here not to run away."  
  
With that, Relafen walked out of the classroom loading his gunblade with bullets.  
  
Quistis sighed, "Like father, like son. Seifer was no different... However, in the case of the Leonharts." she turned her head to Sifan, "your father never came late to class, he never forgot his gunblade, AND he never wore that lethargic look on his face."  
  
[Finished already?]  
  
"Whatever..." Sifan snapped.  
  
"Ah yes. The 'whatever' seems to be the only thing that has been carried over..."  
  
"Okay Quistis. We all know I am not like my father. Stop comparing us."  
  
Quistis reached for a long package under her desk and placed it in front of Sifan, "Fortunately for you, you have just received a new gunblade from Esthar. Courtesy, President Laguna."  
  
[Great. Even my grandpa expects me to be like dad, an almighty gunblade warrior...sigh...I should have been born a duck or something].  
  
"Go ahead, open it." Quistis said.  
  
Sifan removed the cover and inside was one of the most beautiful gunblades he had ever seen. Its shine almost blinded Sifan's ocean blue eyes. At the end of the handle was a small chain with a phoenix pendant attached to it. At the bottom of the container was a row of tiny golden bullets sharp enough to penetrate the hide of a ruby dragon.  
  
He took the gunblade, loaded it with the bullets and let it hang by his side.  
  
Quistis smiled, "looks gorgeous on you darling. Finish your training with Relafen in fifteen minutes and meet me at the cafeteria, ok?"  
  
She smiled and went back to some paper work. Sifan walked out of the door and past a couple of students who were engaged in a serious game of triple triad. He pushed the elevator call button and waited.  
  
[Relafen's not going to be easy. He's been aching to prove me a loser. Especially, so that he can get back at dad for putting Seifer to shame. In a way, dads not to blame but tell that to Relafen. ]  
  
"Excuse me?" a girl cadet said knocking Sifan out of his thoughts, "Did you call for the elevator?"  
  
"Sorry." Sifan muttered and walked in to the elevator. After reaching the ground floor, Sifan proceeded to the training center. He was greeted by a dead grat. Its side had been burnt and on its burn mark was a deep cut.  
  
[Relafen. This is going to be a long fight alright].  
  
Sifan walked around trying to get a glimpse of the long trench coat Relafen wore. He imitated his father in almost everything unlike Sifan. A few meters away, Sifan heard another grat screech painfully and fall to the ground.  
  
Relafen Almasy was standing victorious with his foot on the grat's head. His blue eyes fixed on Sifan and his well built figure clearly visible against the background of the dim lights.  
  
"Here, Leonhart" he said tossing a tiny bottle to Sifan, "a nice little potion the grat dropped. You're gonna need it"  
  
With that, he jumped away from the grat and swung his gunblade in the air with a re-load click, "lets make this quick."  
  
The training center echoed with the screeches of noisy grats and the roars of t-rexaurs. The wind now and then blew across Sifan's dark hair before rattling the leaves of the tall trees and bushes. The training had the feel of a small forest all the more necessary for the t-rexaurs to feel at home.  
  
Sifan pulled out his gunblade and reflection of the dim lights of the training center from Sifan's new gunblade fell on Relafen's chest.  
  
"How nice!" Relafen snapped, "Kiddy's got a new toy."  
  
Sifan rushed at Relafen with both his hands wrapped tight around the gunblade handle. With a powerful leap Sifan swung at his opponent with all his might. Relafen's blade quickly made its way in front of Sifan's to block the attack. Sifan withdrew his weapon but half way back he re-swung it and caught Relafen's gunblade revolver knack in the middle, causing the flame-haired boy to stumble backward.  
  
"Had enough of my toy, Relafen?" Sifan said, smiling.  
  
Relafen leapt at Sifan and hammered Sifan's gunblade with his. The flame-haired boy's attacks were not as powerful as Sifan's but they were swift and faster. Sifan blocked the first three attacks but the impact of the fourth one, which Relafen pulled off in quick succession to the other three, made the young Leonhart to withdraw his right hand from the gunblade handle. Relafen was lightning quick in seeing that his opponent was holding his gunblade with his left hand. Sifan was a right-hander, which meant his left hand was weak. It was the perfect moment; Relafen pulled the trigger of the gunblade and the explosion sent Sifan reeling backwards with his gunblade flying up in to the air.  
  
Relafen was sure the battle was over but Sifan ignored the pain incurred to him by the explosion, jumped back into the air, grabbed his gunblade in mid- air, and brought it down heavily with a trigger. Relafen was caught unaware and a late defense resulted in a more powerful and louder explosion scorching Relafen's chest. He backed away from Sifan holding his chest, panting. Sifan suddenly had a better liking for his gunblade.  
  
"No." Relafen said, "never... Leonhart...NEVER!"  
  
He stretched out his right hand and let a fire spell rip through Sifan's balamb uniform. The heat made Sifan's head go dizzy. He dropped his gunblade, and the next thing he knew he was on the ground staring blurrily up at his opponent. His opponent stood in front of him with his foot on Sifan's gunblade. He was still feeling his brain reel from the heat of the spell. Relafen wore his usual smirk.  
  
"Oh my..." Relafen said with a tinge of sarcasm, "Now, why does this look so FAMILIAR?"  
  
"Cheater." Sifan said, "You used magic."  
  
"But you're using a newer gunblade. All's fair in love and war, my precious Leonhart." Relafen said, raising his gunblade "Did you like the Scar your daddy wore on his face Sifan? Didn't you always want one like it?"  
  
"No, I didn't."  
  
A blue lightning spell thundered down on Relafen's head and the boy went staggering backwards and fell to the ground, almost unconscious, with hardly any movement.  
  
Sifan took the potion bottle Relafen had thrown to him earlier, and he threw it on Relafen, "You talk too much, Relafen."  
  
  
  
Sifan sheathed his gunblade and made his way out of the training center, the wind howling behind his back.  
  
*********** 


	2. CHAPTER 2

Chapter 2  
  
The cafeteria was usually stuffed with classmen from every corner of the garden but since they weren't serving any hot dogs that day, it was less crowded. Quistis was seated with Avatar Fenis at a table in a corner near the window overlooking the ocean. Sifan walked to them and took a seat near Avatar.  
  
"So..." Quistis smiled, "How did it go?"  
  
"Your student wanted to carve a scar on my face, you know, Seifer style..." he muttered picking up the coffee Avatar had ordered for him.  
  
Quistis sighed, "and...?"  
  
"And he found out how it feels to be struck by lightning."  
  
Quistis sighed again, "You boys never go by the rules, do you?"  
  
Sifan smiled, "Don't worry too much instructor, Relafen should be up and running by now"  
  
"Anyway." Quistis said, "You still have objective 2 to complete, Sifan."  
  
"I checked all the usual draw points for the fire spell in the garden on my way here." Sifan said, "They were all used."  
  
"In that case, maybe you should pay a trip to the fire cavern."  
  
"W-what?" Sifan spilt a little of his coffee, "No way. Uh-huh. I am not going in there."  
  
"Chicken." Avatar remarked.  
  
"I'll let you draw those fire spells from me." Quistis said slowly.  
  
"But isn't that against the rules?"  
  
Quistis smiled, "So is using a lightning spell during training. Besides, if you were to go to the fire cavern, then I would have to accompany you. Those monsters wouldn't stand a single slash of my whip and the job is as good as done. So you might as well draw those spells from me."  
  
"You're just lazy Quistis." Avatar remarked.  
  
"Very well then, Sifan, Fire Cavern it is."  
  
"Uh. No. No." Sifan said, "I'll draw it from you..."  
  
"I'll meet you at the gate in 10 minutes." Quistis said as she rose from her seat, "Don't be late..."  
  
Saying that, she walked out of the cafeteria after acknowledging a few Trepies.  
  
As soon as Quistis cleared the area, a pretty-looking brunette came to the table with her tray. "Um..." she said in a sweet little voice, "Do you mind if I sit here with you guys?"  
  
"Of Cour-" Avatar started before Sifan interrupted, "Here, take my seat."  
  
Sifan walked away from the table even as he heard the girl pass a comment behind his back.  
  
[That's what I hate about Avatar. So damn flirtatious. He'll sell you any day for a female.]  
  
Quistis was waiting at the gate with the other cadets when Sifan arrived, "It's about time you got here, Leonhart."  
  
[Geez. Quistis sure is different when she's handling you personally, but in front of the class, its always Leonhart this and Leonhart that.]  
  
Relafen shot Sifan a drop-dead look and reverted his attention to the Ragnarok that had entered the horizon.  
  
[Finally, they're back... I wonder if Dr.Odine fixed that new turbo-warp engine to the Ragnarok]  
  
"Cadets, you are now to pay close attention." Quistis announced, "About 20 km north east of balamb port is an island where the white SeeD ship has run aground. The crew onboard has been stranded for several hours there. Moreover, the island is infested with ice monsters. They have been holding them off for about an hour since the SeeD ship had crashed. They have alerted us that they are running out of spells, ammo and strength. Unfortunately, the Ragnarok will be unable to reach them immediately as it has to be refueled. Your mission is to take two hovercrafts to the island. Secure the crew as fast as possible and send them back to balamb in the hovercrafts. You are to wait in the island till the Ragnarok arrives to pick you up. This will also serve as your SeeD qualifying examination. I hope you have your fire spells stocked. Remember, Your first priority is to defend the crew and secure them. Any questions?"  
  
"Yes..." came a feeble voice from one of the cadets, "How long is it going to take for the Ragnarok to arrive?"  
  
"In due time, Aaron, in due time." Quistis said with a sigh, "Sifan, Relafen, Avata-where's AVATAR?"  
  
[On a flirting expedition, ma'm...]  
  
"I am here!" a voice called out as Avatar came running, panting wildly, "Sorry... I was busy with something important."  
  
[Yeah. Sure you were.]  
  
"As I was saying." Quistis continued, "Sifan, Relafen, Avatar and Aaron take the hovercraft from the balamb coast. The remaining four of you will take the hovercraft at the port where you shall meet Xu. Best of luck."  
  
The other cadets rushed off towards the balamb port taking the pathway in order to avoid monsters.  
  
"Now, you four..." Quistis said turning to Sifan and the cadets near him, " Since the coast is filled with fastaclicons and other monsters, I shall accompany you till you board the hovercraft. After that you are on your own. Let's go."  
  
They took a short cut through a forest and headed towards the coast. Funnily there weren't any monsters in the forest. They probably knew better than to come out and pay with their lives. After about 20 minutes of scorching sunlight, they reached the coast where a hovercraft was standing.  
  
"Phew..." Aaron remarked, "lets go."  
  
Aaron proceeded to run across the golden sandy beach when Quistis gasped, "Aaron! Watch out for that-"  
  
A fastaclicon burst out of the sand and it bit Aaron on his neck. The boy kicked it hard and then he staggered backwards clutching his bleeding neck. The poison had already started to take effect. Quistis ran to Aaron and her cure spell stopped the bleeding but the poison kept depleting his health.   
  
"This is not good." Quistis said, "I am going to have to take Aaron back to the infirmary. You three will have to proceed on your own."  
  
The fastaclicon wasn't done. It came flying towards Avatar this time.  
  
"Man, I hate these damn flying fishy monsters..." he said pulling out his katana. The fastaclicon conveniently came flying straight towards him at his sword, and he promptly sent his blade through the middle of the monster's body. The monster died and was stuck on Avatar's katana like a piece of chicken down a toothpick.  
  
"Ewww" Avatar said pushing out the monster fish with his leg.  
  
Quistis slowly helped Aaron to get up, "I hope you three will be able to manage on your own. If you guys do it, I think you'll be awarded a higher SeeD ranking than the other cadets. Anyway, I'll see you then."  
  
With that, Quistis and Aaron started to make their way back to the garden, Quistis helping the injured boy on his way.  
  
"Oh and by the way" she turned, "Relafen, you are the party leader for this mission."  
  
[W-what?]  
  
Avatar didn't look too pleased with Quistis' decision either. She nodded and soon cleared the place with Aaron.  
  
As if to avenge the death of its fellow monster another fastaclicon popped out of the sand with a loud screech.  
  
"Wassa matter?" Relafen cracked pulling out his gunblade at the monster, his face lighting up with the feeling of him being the leader, "Searchin' for yer mama?"  
  
[Oh brother...]  
  
The monster seemed to have taken Relafen's comment seriously and it flew at him with open jaws revealing tiny but sharp teeth. The flame-haired boy shot a fire at the monster when it was just a foot away. Before it could back off due to the impact of the spell, Relafen sent the monster flying straight up into the air with his gunblade. It then fell on the ground, dead.  
  
"Ok, you all..." Relafen said with an authoritative voice, "In to the hovercraft."  
  
[I'll get Quistis for this.]  
  
"Do what the damn idiot says for just this once." Avatar muttered under his breath as Relafen pushed the button to slide open the door of the hovercraft.  
  
The hovercraft was spacious with a long dashboard with various controls, keys and LEDs.  
  
The door slid shut as soon as the three of them had walked in and Avatar threw himself on a seat at the end of the hovercraft. The windshield was clear and Relafen studied the controls as Sifan checked his gunblade.  
  
"Hey." Avatar said, "Aaron was the guy who was supposed to handle this thing."  
  
"It's easy." Relafen said turning on the ignition, "just pull this thing here and-"  
  
The hovercraft jolted forward suddenly almost knocking the three of them off their feet. Slowly, the engine came alive with a buzz and the hovercraft lifted about a foot in the air.  
  
[Oh great, now he's captain Relafen.]  
  
"Take your seat, Leonhart." Relafen snapped, the smirk reappearing on his face, "I don't want your ass falling all over this place."  
  
Sifan reluctantly did as he was told. He wanted to get the mission done as fast as possible, especially, with Relafen as their leader. He decided not to question Relafen too much. At least for now.  
  
Relafen turned the hovercraft towards the northeastern direction.  
  
"Ok, hold on to yer asses boys!" Relafen said pushing the lever on to full throttle. The hovercraft rocketed forward with tremendous speed. Sifan was certain that if they were to hit anything at this velocity, the hovercraft would probably be in pieces.  
  
"Relafen, we need this hovercraft in one piece to send the white SeeDs back to the island..." Sifan said, irritated with the rashness with which Relafen was handling the hovercraft.  
  
"Don't tell me WHAT to do Leonhart." Relafen snapped.  
  
After a few minutes of high speed cruising, a small island appeared on the horizon with the outline of the white SeeD ship visible clearly.  
  
"Get your butts ready..." Relafen said, "We're almost there."  
  
[Oh great, I forgot to draw those fire spells from Quistis.]  
  
"Relafen." Sifan said, "I don't have fires stocked, I need to draw some from you."  
  
"That's your problem Leonhart..." Relafen hissed, "The hell you doing here without completing that objective?"  
  
Sifan hated to beg but he knew they would be up against ice monsters, "I just want around five..."  
  
"Which part of 'no' don't you understand?" Relafen snapped, "I need them for myself."  
  
"C'mon Relafen." Avatar said as the island drew nearer, "We're almost there, what harm could-"  
  
"Will the both of you shut up?" Relafen snapped, "You will follow my orders and your first order is to keep your mouths shut. Its not my problem if precious Leonhart here doesn't know how to stock fire spells."  
  
[Fine, I'll draw it during battle, like it or not.]  
  
Sifan remained quiet as Relafen reduced the throttle, causing the hovercraft to hum slightly and move into the frozen coast near the white SeeD ship slowly.  
  
The white SeeD vessel was a complete wreck. The mast was broken into two and the sails had been ripped apart. The ship head was broken and half of the ship was covered with frost already. The crew wasn't used to sailing outside the cetra area and this was their first time. Unfortunately, it had resulted in this casualty.  
  
Sifan was about to slide open the door when the radio speaker came cracking alive, "This is the white SeeD leader speaking! Respond please!"  
  
"Yeah, we hear ya." Relafen said loudly, "Which part of the island are you in?"  
  
"We are inside the lower deck of the ship. Monsters have occupied most of the places, including the upper deck. We are afraid we will be trapped here unless the vessel is cleared of monsters. There is a broken oar on the left side of the ship. Please park your hovercrafts there, as it will be easier for us to reach. We have left a few items outside that may be of use to you. The door leading to the lower deck, I repeat, the door leading to the lower deck is near a huge ice giant about 40 feet tall. Taking him down should be the end of your mission. Once he falls, the remaining ice monsters should fear danger and leave the place. Best of luck. We will be waiting."  
  
With another crackle, the radio went dead. Relafen adjusted the frequency and switched on the microphone, "Garden unit 2, come in please."  
  
"This is garden unit two. We are about 10 minutes away from the island. Go ahead."  
  
"We have just received instructions from the White SeeD captain; you are to proceed to the left side of the ship where you shall find a broken oar. Please park your hovercraft there. Do not leave the hovercraft till you spot the white SeeDs. Any of your cadets well-trained in combat?"  
  
"I am afraid not."  
  
"Very well. Please carry out the specified instructions. Over."  
  
"Understood. Over."  
  
Relafen switched off the radio and unsheathed his gunblade.  
  
"You got to admit." Avatar said to Sifan, "Relafen ain't that bad at being a leader."  
  
[Yeah sure he is. All that fuss over a few fire spells makes him a great leader now, doesn't it?]  
  
"Well, what are you dumb-asses waitin' for?" Relafen snapped, "You want me to instruct you every goddamn minute?"  
  
Sifan walked out into the cold wind, tired of Relafen's rattling. He looked around and saw how vast the island looked, completely covered with frozen forests. Quistis had mentioned it being a 'small' island but it looked nowhere near it. Behind him he saw the vast ocean stretch over thousands of miles. The chill made his teeth clatter and the dead silence of the place wasn't comforting either. He was far away from home and for a moment, he felt alone, cold and very very small...Little did he know that they were feelings he would soon be familiar to, in his world to come.  
  
************ 


	3. CHAPTER 3

Chapter 3  
  
"Brrr." Avatar shivered; "It's sub-zero out here"  
  
Sifan nodded. He could feel the cold winds rant and rave though his ears. Relafen was loading his gunblade. Sifan's was already loaded. He walked over to the white SeeD and examined it. It looked like the typical bad- weather wreck. To add to that, the crew weren't too familiar with these parts.  
  
[They never did like to leave the cetra region. Whatever made them to?]  
  
"Hey!" Relafen cut in, "this ain't a crime scene analysis Leonhart. Those dumb asses didn't know how to run a ship and this happened. That's all there is to it. Now get yer ass ready to go inside." He turned to Avatar, "ya too ninja kid."  
  
They grit their teeth and followed their 'leader'. As they approached the ship head, they found a draw point for the fire spell.  
  
"Hey Leonhart, there's yer fire spell, happy?" Relafen snapped.  
  
Sifan concentrated on the pink aura and soon drew the fire spells into himself. Avatar saw a small chest and on opening it found some phoenix downs and a few potions.  
  
"That should come in handy" Relafen said.  
  
"Okay, all of you, lets get onboard." Relafen said pointing to the lowered board near the hull, "Time to kick monster ass"  
  
The instant Relafen's feet made the board creak; they were greeted with a hiss from the top of the ship's mast. Before they knew what had made the noise, a 20-foot long ice serpent dropped down in front of them revealing its icy-cold crystal fangs.  
  
"OK. People. We're using garden tactic 2. We nail him with every fire spell we got." Relafen said immediately.  
  
"But Relafen..." Avatar said, as the party waited for the serpent to make the first move, "Shouldn't we test his physical defense first? I mean-"  
  
"Shut up kid!" Relafen hissed almost louder than the serpent, "I give the orders around here!"  
  
"Okay. On three..." Relafen said, "One...Two..."  
  
The three of them stepped back charging themselves with the fire spell aura.  
  
Sensing the aura of all the three garden students, the serpent hissed loudly and it cast itself a reflect spell.  
  
"Shit!" Relafen muttered.  
  
"It's too late, we have to discharge the fire spell." Sifan said as the serpent stood, happily hissing away.  
  
"Well... try to miss him dammit." Relafen screamed but it was too late. Sifan was the first to lose control. His fire spell blasted out like a rocket at the reflect barrier, bounced with a scorching sound and headed straight to Relafen. It caught him on the chest causing the flame-haired boy to leave go of his spell on avatar, who in turn released his spell at Sifan. The three of them panted, all burnt badly. The serpent tilted its head as if to say, 'sigh...humans"  
  
"Hmph...so much for garden tactic 2" Avatar mocked Relafen.  
  
"Its reflect is gone..." Sifan said, looking at the serpent, "I say slaughter the damn thing."  
  
"Yeah...make the slithering son of a bitch feel our blades." Relafen agreed for once.  
  
"GO!" Relafen rushed at it from the front while Sifan and Avatar circled in to it. The three of them jumped in to the air. Avatar landed first tearing the icy hide, Relafen arrived next, divulging the flesh and Sifan landed the finishing blow, triggering his gunblade. The flare-up sent the three of them backward and the serpent aloft in to the air. It landed on the ground, slithered round and round for a few seconds and then died.  
  
"That oughta teach him." Avatar said.  
  
Before Avatar could deride the serpent further, the air echoed with a monstrous roar from near the deck.  
  
"Well, whatever ya taught him, I don't think HE liked it." Relafen said, "That's probably the ice giant we need to take out. Let's get this damn thing over with."  
  
Relafen walked slowly with Sifan and Avatar following behind.  
  
"Hey, Sifan..."Avatar whispered.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Did you notice Relafen's fire aura?"  
  
"What about it?"  
  
"It was brighter...I mean I've seen a lot of fire spells being used, but that was bright. Like Squall's."  
  
"Well. How did it FEEL? You were lucky enough to know that too, right?"  
  
"Exactly...it burnt me bad. I can take a couple of fire spells with no problem but that hurt like hell."  
  
"So what are you getting at?"  
  
"HEY!" Relafen interrupted, "There he is."  
  
Sifan walked near Relafen and looked down at the stairway leading to the lower deck. In front of the wooden door stood an ice giant, faced away from them. He was about 25 feet tall, his head almost touching the wooden ceiling. He seemed to be in a befuddled state as to how to go through a small door and fill his stomach with the white SeeDs behind it.  
  
"So, we take on this ice dope and mission done?" Sifan asked.  
  
"Yeah. And we also got white SeeD butt to save." Relafen reminded him, picking up a small stone, "The sooner, the better."  
  
Saying so, he sent the stone spinning at the ice giant, which caught him smack in the back of his head. He turned around and his death cold gaze almost froze Relafen. He took a huge thunderous step towards the party, noticeably very enraged. He shot his arm out and before Relafen could jump away, the huge fingers wrapped around the timid body of Relafen. Holding the party leader in his hand, he headed up to Sifan and Avatar.  
  
Relafen couldn't move in the giant's grip but that didn't mangle the voice out of him, "HEY! YOU DUMB ASSES! WHAT ARE YOU STARING AT! GET ME DOWN!"  
  
"You know...nothing would please me more than to leave Relafen warm and comfy in the big guy's hand but then again, we would have to give too much details when we go back..." Sifan said, "So...I guess we have to get him down..."  
  
"Sigh. Yes. Any ideas?" Avatar replied.  
  
"Fire spell his wrist, I'll follow it with a jump slash"  
  
"Fine, here goes..." Avatar stepped back and charged his fire spell as the ice giant keenly looked at the annoyed Relafen kicking about madly.  
  
"Hold still godammit!" Avatar yelled at Relafen, "or you'll be going home with a baked face."  
  
Relafen complied almost immediately.  
  
"Good boy..." Sifan said and got ready for the jump slash. Things, however, had their own way this time. The ice giant shot out his left foot at Avatar sending him sprawling on the ground. Before Sifan could counter, the giant's left hand knocked Sifan to the wall against his back. Soon, both Avatar and Sifan were on their knees, gasping for breath.  
  
[Damn...this guy's strong.]  
  
The ice giant returned to his assessment of Relafen. Obviously, this seemed to be his first experience with humans. Relafen was growing intolerant by the minute, "C'mon you MORONS! Get up! Get up!"  
  
Sifan was still wheezing badly. Avatar, having received the full contact of the blow, was still a bit wobbly.  
  
Convinced that his catch wouldn't give him any sort of digestive disorders, the giant opened his mouth, revealing huge, whale-like teeth and a stench that made Relafen's head reel.  
  
"Whoa! Big fella!" Relafen shouted, "You wont like me...I taste real bad...! SHIT!"  
  
Relafen closed his eyes and gulped. Just as he was getting ready to say his last prayers, he felt his finger tighten around his gunblade trigger. Without losing a second, he pulled it hard. The bullet seemed to have found its way through the icy covering on the giant's palm. He roared with pain and with flaring fury, he raised his hand and threw Relafen to the ground. Relafen bounced on the floor once and fell flat, almost unconscious. He turned around slowly and faced the giant who was worriedly groping his hand.  
  
Sifan tried to get up but he was still too weak. Avatar was almost on his feet, but still staggering about. The ice giant was advancing. Relafen looked at his party. They were almost crushed.  
  
"Damn those garden bastards!" He closed his eyes and let a powerful green aura encircle him.  
  
Sifan could hardly believe his eyes while Avatar managed to waddle towards him, "h-hey, Avatar... l-look!"  
  
The black-haired boy turned around and also saw the green aura that was swirling around Relafen, "how the h-hell d-did he?"  
  
"It c-can't be!" Sifan said, watching his own body turn translucent.  
  
"It's happening alright. That explains the aura we saw and the intensity of that fire spell. He's got a guardian force."  
  
The next thing they knew, all the three of them were indiscernible and looked like mere holograms. The ground started quaking violently as the ice giant tried to sustain his balance in vain. He fell down on the floor unaware of the impending doom. He roared when the ground in front of him tore into two and a huge beast three times taller than him flew out with a ball of fire swirling in front of him. The ice giant was feeling a nightmare already, watching the guardian force Ifrit ascend in front of him. Ifrit looked at the scrawny 'giant' and sent his enormous fireball blazing through the air with a deafening snarl. Sifan, Avatar and Relafen closed their eyes as the giant was engulfed in hellfire. Soon, everything was back to the way it was. The giant, however, was lying on his back, scorched and as dead as hell.  
  
************  
  
Both the hovercrafts disappeared over the horizon against the sunset that was giving the sky a cosmic orange radiance. Sifan sat at the edge of the wrecked white SeeD ship, Avatar sitting next to him. Relafen stood a little away as usual, with a foot resting on a rolled-down barrel. They didn't speak anything.  
  
Relafen broke the stillness, "Yeah, I know what ya losers are thinking."  
  
Silence again.  
  
"How the hell did the great Relafen Almasy manage to get a guardian force which was never in our garden curriculum?"  
  
"I really don't give a damn how or where or when you got Ifrit Relafen." Sifan said, "but...if it results in annulment of our SeeD graduation, I'll get- "  
  
"Of Course, they'll cancel it godammit!" Relafen fumed, "Those bastards will do anything."  
  
"Relafen...for God's sake! Why the hell are you talking like that?" Avatar said, "Geez, leader... relax."  
  
"Look, once we get our asses back in balamb, after meeting that goddamn loser of a headmaster, meet Quistis at the cafeteria. She'll explain a few things." Relafen said as Ragnarok appeared on the horizon.  
  
"There's something going on behind the scenes, huh?" Sifan said, watching the ocean waves rise.   
  
"Hell, sure is...Leonhart...sure is." Relafen said and walked away to the Ragnarok that landed near the ruined white SeeD ship.  
  
************** 


	4. CHAPTER 4

Chapter 4  
  
Sifan Leonhart toyed with the straw in his glass of cold coffee while Avatar sat edgily drumming the table with his finger.  
  
"So..." Avatar started, "We managed to get away without squealing about the Ifrit thing...."  
  
"Hmm...yeah..." Sifan said, "Well, it's a good thing none of the White SeeDs came out while Ifrit was doing his thing."  
  
"I am pretty confused..." was all Avatar could say.  
  
"Well...anyway. Quistis was the one who made Relafen leader. Maybe, that's what she wanted him to do. So I guess she has something to do with the guardian force and all that."  
  
"I dunno pal, it's fine with me just as long as we get our butts into those SeeD uniforms..." Avatar said waving to the blonde-haired instructor who made her way towards their table.  
  
"Hi guys..." Quistis said, pulling a chair, "By the look on your faces, I can see both of you are pretty puzzled."  
  
"After what we saw, instructor..." Avatar said, "Who wouldn't be?"  
  
"Here..." Sifan said pushing a sandwich to Quistis as she sat down, "Take a bite and tell us what's going on around here."  
  
Quistis sighed, "Okay...here we go. Well, you've all under the belief that Guardian forces were never in Garden's curriculum. The truth is, they were. Your father used them, I used them and yes, all garden cadets were allowed to do so, 20 years ago."  
  
"Whoa whoa, go easy, instructor. You mean GFs, here in garden?" Avatar said, taken aback.  
  
"Yes..." Quistis said, taking a bite out of the sandwich.  
  
"Then what happened?" Sifan said, "Why did they pull them out?"  
  
"Look, I want you two to be really secretive about this, alright?" Quistis said, leaning forward.  
  
Sifan and Avatar nodded.  
  
"By the time the Ultimecia episode was over, the whole world came to know about guardian forces and their powers. First people didn't think of taking any advantage of these guardian forces. But then, Galbadia's leaders got the idea of conscripting garden cadets and SeeDs for Galbadia's army. Even if garden didn't allow it, they would give almost anything and 'buy' the cadets and SeeDs who were trained with summon magic."  
  
"So that way, they'll have the edge over other armies. Especially Esthar." Avatar said.  
  
"Yes, but Esthar found that out. And well, they did the same thing because President Laguna didn't have control over many things. Soon, everything went chaotic. So the garden committee decided that if nobody was taught summon magic, there wouldn't be any trouble." Quistis said.  
  
Sifan buried his head in his hands, "and today, Relafen pops out Ifrit?"  
  
"I'll explain, Sifan." Quistis said, "For a long time, neither Galbadia nor Esthar troubled garden but they still had their eyes on it. Around two years ago, Esthar's key scientists created a breakthrough in technology. Machinery that trained anyone, even a six-year old, to learn summon magic. Even the best of Galbadia's spies weren't able to get their hands on it. So Galbadia turned to garden again. But we refused to have anything to do with them. Then one day, they made a proposal. An offer, which brought out the greed monster in every garden committee member. They offered to buy the entire garden and also offered every faculty member high positions, social settlements, and earnings three times of what they got from the money out of SeeD missions."  
  
"What kept their hats on?" Avatar asked. "I'd take an offer like that in a jiffy."  
  
"Well, unfortunately, more than two-thirds of the committee were people like you Avatar" Quistis said, "According to the garden rules, however, anything they decided must have at least an 85% vote agreement. Instructor Vallhallan and me are the 16 % that is against the 'selling' of garden to Galbadia's army. In other words Vallhallan and I are the only thing that stands between them and the contract with Galbadia. As you know, Vallhallan and I crossed our 5-year teaching limit long back and the only reason we are here is because of our hundred percent record of SeeD examination passes. A few Garden rules devised long ago protect instructors like us. But they made another rule which said that even one failure under a teacher would allow the committee to dismiss the teacher."  
  
"You mean... if one of your students or Vallhallan's fails the SeeD exam, you guys are out?" Avatar said, irately.  
  
"Yeah...and you guys think the missions they give my batch or Vallhallan's batch are normal?"  
  
"They give your students tough missions so they'll flunk? Then, they can boot you out, bring one of their guys into the committee and get their necessary vote and sell the garden?" Sifan asked.  
  
"Bingo...you're smart, darling." Quistis said winking at Sifan and sipping from her glass, "So...I asked Seifer to teach Relafen a little something to keep you guys, my place, the white SeeDs and this garden safe."  
  
"A la Ifrit." Avatar completed, "I must confess, I like the way you do things instructor."  
  
"All this is giving me a headache." Sifan said, clenching his temple.  
  
"It's Okay darling. I am glad you guys are safe and you're SeeDs now..." Quistis said, "Oh and talking about SeeD. Tonight's the SeeD graduation ball. The official glitterati where you guys turn into real SeeDs."  
  
"Ooh, I am so excited..." Sifan muttered sarcastically.  
  
"I guess you are..." Quistis said smiling, "So who's the lucky girl?"  
  
"Oh please." Sifan mumbled, "That question's for Avatar, not me."  
  
Avatar beamed, "Hey Sifan, remember that brunette I met this morning. We-"  
  
"I am happy for you buddy" Sifan cut in, "Re-al happy."  
  
"Ooh talking of Tania, I have to go meet her. See you, guys. Nice talking to you instructor. Thanks for the lowdown." Avatar said hastily and was soon gone with the wind.  
  
"Geez. A guy wouldn't get his mother down a ladder but when he wants to meet a girl..." Sifan mumbled, sipping his almost empty glass.  
  
"You know, your dad and mom met in a graduation ball." Quistis said, "So did Vallhallan and I."  
  
"Guess it's the most romantic thing that happens in balamb garden, huh?"  
  
"You bet!" She said with a smile on her lips, "Really Sifan, you didn't fix up a partner for tonight?"  
  
"Geez, what's so surprising about that?" Sifan said, running his hand through the locks of his dark brown hair.  
  
"I mean, every girl out there is waiting for you to just look her way today, expectant and bubbling in hope they'll be the one.." Quistis said as she and Sifan rose from the table.  
  
"Aw geez Quistis, gimme a break, will you?" Sifan said on his way to the counter with Quistis.  
  
"Hey this one's on me." She said and placed a few gils on the counter despite Sifan's rambling that he was the rightful one to pay.  
  
They walked through the pathway leading out of the cafeteria. Quistis looked at her watch, "Well, I think I have to meet Vallhallan now."  
  
"Lemme guess. You have something romantic planned like a walk along the golden beach of balamb?"  
  
She smiled, "I guess you can say that. Well, I think some angel will walk into your life the way Rinoa did into Squall's. Anyway, I'll see you around darling..."  
  
After waving goodbye, Sifan slowly made his way to the dormitory.  
  
Even after fifteen years of being married to instructor Vallhallan, Quistis and her husband didn't plan to have a child. For this reason, she often treated Sifan like her own son. Sifan didn't perceive it too much but he always looked upon Quistis as a guide through many things. She and Avatar were two people who made sure Sifan didn't end up cold, withdrawn and lonesome like Squall had been. But some qualities were passed on to Sifan from his father. One of them was Squall's ability to shut his feelings out and also his incapability to materialize his emotions into words. But Sifan never concerned himself with emotions and feelings. At least till that time, he didn't have to.  
  
He opened his room door. Everything was a mess as usual. He threw his gunblade in a corner and fell flat on his bed. He was really tired from all the things that had happened. Nida, the Ragnarok's pilot, had told him on their way back from the ice island a few hours ago, that Squall, Rinoa and everyone else had planned to stay back in Esthar for a valid reason. That day was Laguna's last day of presidency over Esthar. Squall and everyone else planned to give a surprise farewell party. The official stepping-down ceremony was the next morning. They had managed to persuade Laguna to attend the graduation ball in balamb garden to watch his grandson. And when he came back to Esthar, they would surprise him with the festivities. Squall had sent word to Sifan that he had to accompany Laguna back to Esthar along with Quistis, Vallhallan, and Avatar in order to attend the party.  
  
Sifan didn't notice it in the Ragnarok but it occurred to him that Relafen hadn't been invited to the party.  
  
[Well, I guess there was no reason to. But the fact is, Seifer and Relafen might as well be the reason Avatar and me are graduating today, alive and well. Somehow, it really doesn't feel right. Maybe they just forgot. They hardly see Seifer or Relafen ever since they moved into Esthar.]  
  
Sifan watched the fan in his room circle and he slowly closed his eyes, feeling sleepy from the fatigue. He had to go pick his SeeD uniform up from headmaster Ronan in a few minutes but after what Quistis had told him in the cafeteria, he had lost all reverence he had for the 'old goat', as Relafen used to call him. He let the thought of being honored by the goat with the SeeD uniform slip away from his mind and fell asleep.  
  
************  
  
Sifan Leonhart woke up to the sound of Avatar Fenis banging on his dorm door.  
  
"For God's sake, Sifan. OPEN UP!" came the annoyed voice of his friend.  
  
Sifan sleepily rubbed his eyes, got down from his bed and opened the door.  
  
Avatar Fenis looked as striking as ever. The gold and shiny red threads were intertwined beautifully on the bluish velvet material of his SeeD uniform, with his name curio graphed on the pocket in a Lucida handwriting font. He had his ponytail hanging beside his collar in front. If Sifan Leonhart had been a girl, he would have fainted.  
  
Sifan, however yawned, "uh...is it time already?"  
  
Avatar stormed in to the messy room, "For God's sake, Sifan. Where the hell were you? Everybody was there. EVEN Relafen. Geez, you know how it felt when they called out your name in the headmaster's room and you weren't there? Really, they all looked at me sas if I was zee offeeecial guarzian of seeefan leeyunhart."  
  
"Ok ok, so I overslept a bit."  
  
"Yeah and what a time to." Avatar said as Sifan washed his face at the sink, "Anyway, I got you your uniform. God, what's your mom gonna say-"  
  
"Shut up already." Sifan said grabbing his uniform from Avatar. It was the same as Avatar's. Sifan put on the SeeD blazer and a black leather pant and almost walked over to his boots before Avatar caught him by the elbow of his arm, "uh uh, pretty boy, you aint going nowhere dressed so plainly, geez, just look at your hair."  
  
"Give it a break, Avatar, I am just gonna stand in a corner and-"  
  
"Hell, no." Avatar replied, pushing Sifan to the mirror despite his rebellious protests.  
  
************ 


	5. CHAPTER 5

Chapter 5  
  
The garden's community hall looked as spectacular as ever. Sifan wasn't the only one surprised, Avatar's jaw also dropped as both of them walked into the gold-lighted palatial ball. The ceiling, made of glass, visibly showed millions of glittery and bright stars. From it's center hung a huge crystal chandelier, which was reflected clearly on the sparkling marbled floor. All in all, the place looked like heaven.   
  
Sifan slowly tried to inch away to a shadowy corner when Avatar caught his arm with an iron grip.  
  
"Hey, ouch! Don't do your ninja grips on me Avatar, you're killing me!" Sifan hissed.  
  
"Well, don't try running away kid. YOU are the spotlight tonight!" Avatar said, "I mean just look at you. Prince handsome is finally real and you have no idea how many girls out there have their eyes on you..."  
  
Sifan sighed when his eye caught something, "Hey look Avatar! It's...er...what's her name...?"  
  
"Tania..."   
  
"Yeah, well, she's looking great and it seems like she's waiting for you..." Sifan said trying to loosen himself from Avatar's grip.  
  
"No, drumhead. She's talking to her friend..."  
  
"Uh...well...she's probably telling her about you, maybe you should go introduce yourself. C'mon pal! You can do it. Let 'er rip."   
  
"Hmmm...well...now that you mention it..." Avatar grinned, his eyes on Tania.  
  
[Hee hee... gets him every time...]  
  
"I'll see you around, pretty boy..." Avatar said and walked away to the place where the brunette and her friend were standing.  
  
Sifan heaved a sigh of relief and walked away to the side where the lights were a little dim. He leaned against a pillar lethargically, after picking up a glass of champagne from the waitress. As he stood sipping from the cold glass, Quistis and Vallhallan walked into the ball, hand in hand.  
  
"Romantic, ain't it, Leonhart?" came a familiar voice from behind the support Sifan was leaning on.  
  
"Oh hello, mighty leader." Sifan said after glancing at Relafen Almasy. Both of them were leaning on either side of the beautifully decorated pillar.  
  
"How come precious Leonhart aint got a pretty face to dance with?" Relafen asked bluntly, "I mean, daddy's the famous hero who punched Ultimecia's ticket to hell..."  
  
"..................."  
  
"Almost punched my dad's ticket too, eh?" Relafen said, thinking of his father.  
  
"Is Seifer coming tonight, Relafen?" Sifan asked, looking at a shooting star bolt across the sky.  
  
"Nah, why should the General of Galbadia care about some frickin' graduation party...?" Relafen replied, a considerable amount of pride in his voice.  
  
"General!?" Sifan asked surprised. All he knew was Seifer, Raijin and Fujin moved to Galbadia after the Ultimecia incident.  
  
Relafen laughed, "Nobody told ya, huh? I aint surprised, Leonhart. Who'd give a rat's ass about some outcast and what he made out of his life? Especially, an outcast who would lift his gunblade against the mighty Squall Leonhart."  
  
"..................."  
  
"Yeah, he became general a week ago. Care to hear how, Leonhart?"  
  
"I don't have anything better to do" Sifan said as Ex-headmaster Cid and Edea Kramer walked in to the hall. The music slowly began to play as a few SeeDs accompanied their partners to middle of the ballroom for a dance.  
  
"It all happened 20 years ago, a couple of years after the Ultimecia incident. One fine day, Raijin got drunk in a bar in Dollet and slapped a Galbadian soldier with a fish. Another soldier there called backup and they belted Raijin's brains out. Well, dad and Fujin walked in to find Mr.Ya-know lying on the ground. Dad and Fujin flattened all the twenty soldiers in a minute. The general arrived on the spot soon. Instead of slaughtering dad for destroying the best of his soldiers, he made dad the commander of those troops. He didn't have anything ta do anyway. So he agreed. Ah well, then he worked his way up the ladder being a good leader and all that, fell in love with the general's daughter, my mom. He married her and...."  
  
"Goof ball was born..." Sifan said emptying his glass of sparkling wine.  
  
"Very funny, Leonhart. Anyway, last week, the general croaked. But he got the president to appoint dad general before that. I wanted to go to the investiture ceremony but noo.... these garden bastards wouldn't allow it. Even one day leave would cancel my eligibility for SeeD."  
  
"They'll do anything to make us fail, huh?" Sifan said sick of how the garden committee was actually doing things.  
  
"Well, that's how my dad came from feeling your father's blade to where he is today."  
  
Sifan was tired of Relafen prattling about Seifer being victimized by Squall, "Look, Seifer stood in dad's way. That's all, ok? He doesn't have anything against him."  
  
"Oh sure. If someone puts an inch-long scar on your face, you still wouldn't hold anything against him?" Relafen asked slyly.  
  
"Hmm, nah, not if I gave him one too." Sifan replied with a smile.  
  
Relafen laughed, "You're smart, Leonhart. But don't gimme that bull crap about Squall not holding anything against my father...Squall destroyed his life..."  
  
"Okay." Sifan said turning around to Relafen, "When someone pushes the woman you love into the hands of a sorcerer to die, would you still hold nothing against that someone!?"  
  
Relafen was quiet.  
  
"Answer me, dammit!!" Sifan said a bit loudly.  
  
Sifan had forced Ellone to show everything to him through her powers. He had seen the last moments of his father's struggle with Ultimecia as if he himself was present there. Sifan still remembered clearly...Seifer had held Rinoa in lunatic Pandora ready to push her into Adel. Despite her cries, the tears in her eyes, he had just grinned his usual cocky grin and pushed her into Adel. She would have died if it hadn't been for Squall. It dawned on him; Seifer had almost murdered his mother.  
  
Sifan's fist was tightening but he let his anger go.  
  
"Enjoy the evening, Relafen." he said and proceeded to the exit.  
  
[Relafen didn't see any of it. But I saw it all through Ellone. If he had seen it, then he'd know. I guess I can't blame him. What he knows is only what Seifer, Raijin and Fujin told him.]  
  
Seifer had changed for the better, he was happier. But Relafen, being in garden, had keenly observed Squall's lifestyle. He had seen him using the Ragnarok like his own private transportation, being offered the presidency of Esthar; being offered the garden committee leader position. He turned both down. Relafen noticed Squall was the role model for almost every garden cadet and SeeD. Squall's life seemed to look like a bed of roses ever since the Ultimecia event. But Seifer's had been the opposite. He had to work and fight for every piece of bread he ate.   
  
[.... And Relafen blamed it all on dad. ]  
  
Sifan inadvertently found himself standing on the deserted pathway leading out of the garden community hall. He had been so busy with his thoughts that he didn't even see where he had come.  
  
[Who the hell needs to go back in there anyway? Inside almost every faculty member, was a demon that wanted to sell the garden on which they were dancing and waltzing.]  
  
Sifan walked over to the desolate stairway and sat there with another glass of champagne he had picked up on his way out of the community hall. He ran his hand through his dark brown hair that Avatar had made for him. The music in the hall got louder and he could hear the cellos and the jazzy saxophones echo down the passageway. Frequently, sounds of laughter were also heard and he could have sworn he heard even Avatar's fake laughing in front of the girls. He shook his head and looked at the sky. He lifted his glass to the pale white moon, "Cheers..."  
  
The wine was going to his head a little bit, "Ha ha.... No Rinoa's gonna walk into my life alright. I escaped. Hee hee. No girl pointing to stupid shooting stars either. Ha ha ha ha."  
  
He took another gulp and emptied the glass. Just then, a blonde-haired female SeeD came down the passageway.  
  
[Damn. I must be drinking too much.]  
  
"Uh...hello..." she said. She was a good-looking girl and wore a shiny dark blue color, with of course, the SeeD blazer.  
  
".................."  
  
"Um, you're Sifan Leonhart, right?" she asked in a sweet voice.  
  
"No, I am a ruby dragon. Roar. Now get lost."  
  
"Hee hee, you're cute..."  
  
"You want to die from my fire breath attack?"  
  
"Giggle...He told me to expect something like this from you..."  
  
"Huh, who?"  
  
"Uh...nobody."  
  
"Who...Avatar?"  
  
"NO! ... I mean...no..."  
  
"Can you come nearer please? You look so beautiful."  
  
"Yes?" she said eagerly and came forward.  
  
"Please get me another glass," he said stretching his glass, "They give more servings to beautiful people."  
  
She got upset much to Sifan's content and stormed out of the passageway, cursing Sifan Leonhart under her breath.  
  
Sifan smiled and turned back to the moon, "Now where were we, pal? ..."  
  
************ 


	6. CHAPTER 6

Chapter 6  
  
The early morning sunlight seeped through the holes in the adamantine roof and fell on the closed eyes of Phillona Strife. Feeling the illumination, She opened her light blue eyes. It was the same mako blue that shone in her father, Cloud Strife's eyes. She sat up on her bed and let her long shiny brown hair fall behind her. Both the hands of the small clock on the wall stood at seven.   
  
[Sigh...late again...]  
  
She got herself ready and opened the door and walked outside to be greeted by the early birds of Mideel who were already getting ready to toil the day out.   
  
"The people of Mideel had all kinds of work. Hunting, woodcutting and cultivating were some of the things that were necessary to meet the everyday necessities of people. Mideel, or the village of the life stream as some people referred to it, is located in the southern part of the world in a small, fish-shaped continent. Since Mako reactors had sucked up almost all the lifestream in the eastern and the western continents, Mideel was one of the rare places where lifestream accumulations were found. The northern continent of course is the center of the life stream. After the METEOR incident, the ice had melted, revealing the earth and making it suitable for farming activities. Hence, the northern continent, showed new flora and fauna, and greenery started to flourish, making it a great tourist attraction despite the monster-populated northern crater near it.... MAN I HATE THIS CRAP!" growled young Ricardo, seated against the wall of Phillona's cottage near her door.  
  
"Have a geography test today, eh, Ric?" Phillona said as Ricardo scratched his blonde hair. Ricardo was the son of Cid Highwind. He was smart and active, but only at things he liked. Geography was his least favorite. Mideel blossomed with youth life, and Ricardo was just one of the many teenagers that resided at the village of Mideel.  
  
"Hi Phillona..." Ricardo said with a smile, "I have that damn crud of a test today, and well.... this stuff here...is driving me frickin' nuts..."  
  
"Its okay, kiddo..." Phillona replied, "Just go and write what you know..."  
  
"Say Phillona..." Ricardo said, "Where are you going, now...?"  
  
"Heroes' garden..."  
  
"Oh good. In that case, can you give this to dad?" he said pulling out a small but attractive rose, "I need to go to school today or else I coulda come...Oh and Marlene wanted to give you this for her dad...too"  
  
"Sure thing darling..." she said, taking another rose from Ricardo, "By the way, where's Marlene?"  
  
"She went to Costa de sol with that rich guy...what's his name...uh yeah...Mike..."  
  
"Oh...ok...See you around, Ric..." Phillona said waving goodbye. She walked to the lifestream well, the sun tickling her eyes. She looked inside the well and made sure the lifestream was still at the same level.  
  
"Hello. Beautiful..." came a voice from behind her, "Don't worry...none of those Shin-Ra morons came last night to pilfer lifestream..."  
  
"Oh, good morning Trex...." Phillona said, smiling at the fairly-handsome 17-year old boy, "I am off to heroes' garden...how are the chocobos?"  
  
Trex was the professional when it came to chocobos. But more than chocobos, Trex was more in to guns. He collected them and knew every detail pertaining to them. However, most of the guns he collected seldom worked. He shrugged and gave Phillona a Gysahl green, "Choco's in the stable. Give her this and she'll latch on to ya in no time."  
  
"Thanks..." She said, "Oh...and if any of those Shin-Ra troops come and cause trouble, the materia's in the storeroom. I am not taking any with me."  
  
"You got it..." Trex said and went away munching on an apple.  
  
Phillona crouched near the garden and plucked a few flowers and made a small bunch with them.   
  
[Mom used to love daffodils...]  
  
Having got what she wanted, Phillona hurried away to the stable to take the chocobo.  
  
************  
  
Phillona Strife dismounted from the chocobo and gave it a Gysahl green, "You stay here, ok? I'll be back in a few minutes..."  
  
She walked down the slope to the depressed land where the temple of the ancients had once stood. Now, a tomb was erected there. The place was filled with green grass with a fence along its rectangular margin. In the middle was a golden plate on which was engraved,   
  
'DESPITE THE SINKING SAND,  
  
THEY STOOD AGAINST ALL EVIL.  
  
THEY WENT WERE NONE DARED TO STAND,  
  
THEY MAY BE GONE, BUT THEIR MEMORIES NEVER WILL'  
  
She knelt down on the grass before the tomb. A row of granite stones stood with the names, Cloud Strife, Tifa Strife, Cid Highwind, Red XIII, Yuffie Kisaragi and Barret Wallace.  
  
She placed the flowers near her father's and her mother's stone and placed the roses that Marlene and Ricardo had given her near Barret and Cid's.  
  
[And I never got to see them.... Mom, they all tell me I look beautiful, just like you and Dad, I am supposed to have your eyes...I know you and mom only from other people's memories...not from mine as a daughter...you went away.... even before I took my first step...]  
  
****************  
  
"Two years after the METEOR incident, as a result of the lifestream imbalance, violent earthquakes had started to rock all the continents of the world. Tectonic devices had picked up the source of the earthquakes to be the northern crater. But no one wanted to even turn his or her head towards the northern crater. Dad and the rest of his friends were the only ones who decided to take a look. After losing the highwind in the METEOR incident, they frequently used the small airship Cid had for emergencies. Using it, Dad and everyone else went to the northern crater. Marlene...Barret's daughter was 3 years old, I was a year old and Cid's wife was pregnant with Ricardo." Phillona wrote in her diary, brushing away a small tear, as the owls hooted, signifying it was mid night.  
  
"They neared the crater when a sudden earthquake had begun. Since they were in air, they continued to move. But when the ground deep inside the crater gave way to a fissure, the lava pressurized for 2 years shot out 100 feet in the air, melting the propellers of Dad's airship. Cid tried to land the airship near the coast of the northern continent, but it took a plummet...and crashed...into the city of the ancients...the same place where Sephiroth had killed Aeris. No one survived. Not even Dad. They found the bodies a few days later...since that fateful day, there hasn't been a single earthquake...it was as if the earthquakes were just something to call dad so nature could kill him. When this happened, Marlene and I were taken to Cosmo Canyon. Buganhagen became my father. He raised me...I didn't know anything till I was ten. He wanted me to enjoy my childhood. But the truth always lands...the day when Buganhagen breathed his last, he told me everything. He smiled, seconds before he closed his eyes and told me, 'you will do great things...my girl...' and then, he gave me a phoenix pendant and died. He had taken care of Marlene and me for a decade. Ricardo was raised in rocket town and later sent to Mideel because of the City's polluted atmosphere. Marlene and I came to Mideel through friends of Buganhagen. We grew up into what we are now. We didn't have much to do. Until one day...we decided we needed to protect Mideel from the reincarnated Shin-Ra..."  
  
Phillona's hand was aching. She had lost her old diary. So she made a new one and wrote most of the things the first one had again. The diary was the only thing on which Phillona let her feelings materialize. The true feelings of loneliness and sorrow of having no one to lean on were only on her diary. Besides that, outside she was her cheerful, bubbly self the world knew her to be. She drank a glass of water and returned to her bed and continued to write on her diary.  
  
"After the METEOR incident, Shin-Ra had fallen and was as good as ashes. But even ashes had the reputation to give life. To start with, people were happy there was no more an evil corporation in the form of Shin-Ra. Satisfied with independent towns and cities scattered through out the world, people went on with life. But not for long, they began to feel the world was too big a place, and they felt things would surely go haywire if everyone did as they pleased. The crime rate had already reached its height. So...they decided there would be Shin-Ra the second...but this time...it would be 'for the people, of the people, by the people'...those fools didn't realize the first Shin-Ra started on the same foundation too. This time, they adopted the age-old Magitek technique to 'protect' and 'promote'. Thus, Shin-Ra was reincarnated, as a goody two-shoes organization. Shin-Ra, over the years, earned everyone's trust and confidence. They used Magitek, harnessing magic to do 'good', and received respect and admiration all over the world. They built new cities, new towns, channelised rivers, everything a citizen of the world could possibly want, they even bought the gold saucer and cut down the prices. But fruits of corruption are the fastest to blossom. Deep Under the desert region, an empire was growing. Magitek armory, weapons, and all forms of destruction personified. Shin-Ra headquarters was re-built; all information was recovered from the database of the first Shin-Ra including mako energy, harnessing the lifestream's powers. They combined mako and Magitek and soon, Makotech was born. Total madness. All this was going on underground. Shin-Ra's control over the world strengthened but resistance organizations found out the truth. They managed to free the northern continent and the southern continent from Shin-Ra, both being supreme sources for mako energy. The northern continent gave birth to it's own government, which refused to align with Shin-Ra because top officials in that government knew what was going on under Shin-Ra's rainbow skin. The mako center in the northern continent was the northern crater. As for the southern continent, there were too little people to start a government. Shin-Ra had already managed to occupy the borders of the southern continent but the mako center was Mideel. So every week, Shin-Ra troops constantly ran around Mideel, trying to infiltrate it and take control. They even tried to steal some lifestream from the well for their research purpose. So we have been protecting Mideel for the past two years. Me, Trex, Marlene and a few other people as well. We have some materia and it has been helping us so far...But Shin-Ra's getting sick of not using powerful force...they are about to reach the limit of doing anything to grab Mideel. We can't hold out much longer...we are going to need help.... from anywhere...from any world...."  
  
Phillona closed her diary when there was a knock on her door.  
  
"Come in, its open..."   
  
Marlene Wallace walked in to the room, an irritated look on her face, "WOULD you BELIEVE IT? T-That TWERP!"  
  
[Sigh...so what else is new...?]  
  
"Lemme guess..." Phillona said smiling, "Your sweet Mike's flirting with a new girl in his town..."  
  
"How'd you...?"  
  
"Lets just say things have a way of repeating themselves..."  
  
"Uh whatever..." Marlene said plopping on the chair, "Geez...that darn ship from Costa de Sol takes a whole blasted two hours..."  
  
"That's funny, last time you said it took ONE hour..."  
  
"Uh...Well...last time...Mike was there..."   
  
"Time flies when you're with someone you love, huh?"   
  
Marlene smiled, "Guess you could say that..."  
  
[Just wish...there was someone for me too... Sometimes, when it feels like it's all over...]  
  
Her thoughts were rudely interrupted when Trex came crashing through the door. The cool, calm and collected look that was usually there was absent. He caught his breath a little and then blurted out, "They're coming! They're coming!"  
  
"Damn...." Marlene said, "... At midnight...?"  
  
Phillona reached under the bed and pulled out her leather gloves, "Trex, hurry to the store room and get the materia, weapon and the armor ready. And Marlene...alert the others and meet me at the village entrance."  
  
A couple of years ago, Phillona had gone to Nibelheim and had trained in Master Duncan's martial arts dojo. Master Duncan's father had taught Tifa and hence Phillona came to know him. She had been there for a very short time due to continued intervention by the Shin-Ra troops in Mideel, but she managed to learn quite a lot. Her fighting style was unique although she knew how to do all her mother's signature moves. She recalled all her usual fighting strategy, hurriedly putting on her gloves.  
  
She was about to leave the door when she stopped returned to her bed. She reached under the bed and pulled out a small box and opened it. Inside it was a shiny red stone, glittering with its entire glimmer. After making sure the cure materia was well fixed to her glove, Phillona equipped the Shiva summon materia and rushed out to face the approaching threat.   
  
**************** 


	7. CHAPTER 7

Chapter 7  
  
"I set one of the most beautiful girls up for you and you blow her away like dirt!" Avatar Fenis screamed angrily at Sifan Leonhart, "I don't have to do this, you know. I could just stay in there. Dance with Tania. Dance with Celina -Ahem- I mean...WELL, I am just trying to bring you to the brighter side of life, for God's sake!"  
  
The wine's effect was still doing it's thing to Sifan, "If the brighter side of life means dancing with Lorena, Serena, Anna, Tania, Celina, Felicia, and every other feminine version of Tom, Dick and Harry, I think the dark side will suit me just fine..."  
  
"Look at you. Squall Leonhart's son, sitting her semi-drunk, with your glass of champagne all by yourself, Ugh, God you're pathetic..." Avatar said, frustrated at how Sifan enjoyed being alone.  
  
"Ah, what can I do?" Sifan said, "I am just another lone wolf..."  
  
"Make that a lone drunk wolf..." Avatar snapped and marched away behind him.  
  
[Sigh...they're all on to me...]  
  
Sifan yawned. The party was almost over. In a matter of few minutes, they would all come marching out and make their way to the balamb garden's newly constructed balcony for their buffet dinner.  
  
[Wait a second.... Avatar went BEHIND ME. The party and the girls are in the hall FRONT of me...why-]  
  
Before he could think of anything else, icy cold water came down on his head, drenching him fully. Sifan got up and wheeled around and saw Avatar smiling maliciously, a bucket of water in his hand.  
  
After chasing Avatar all the way to the dormitory corridor, Sifan stopped. Avatar had disappeared... and he had disappeared fast. After all, Sifan thought, he WAS a ninjitsu student.  
  
"Hey...Avatar...I am in a mood for a little one on one..." Sifan said, unsheathing his gunblade, "How about it, kid?"  
  
There was no reply.   
  
"Hey, you don't have to worry..." Sifan said searching for his friend, "I am still a bit wobbly from the wine and I wont be that-"  
  
Before he knew it, a figure from behind swept him off his feet with a sweep kick. Sifan fell down on the ground with a thud on his back. He quickly jumped back to face his assailant.  
  
"Uh well, I was just thinking, I don't have my sword..." Avatar grinned, "But I think I'll accept..."  
  
Sifan stood up, groping his neck, "If you had kicked me any harder..."  
  
"...Yeah I know, your medulla oblongata would have gone splat but hey...I made sure it didn't...so...WHAT say ye, pretty boy, ye or nay?" Avatar said getting into his Zell-like fighting stance.  
  
"You're on!" Sifan said, reloading his gunblade, "Just don't complain its gunblade versus fists..."  
  
Suddenly, a shruiken cut through the air and raced to Sifan's fist but Sifan swung his sword and sent the shruiken into the ceiling.   
  
Avatar smiled, "I may not have a sword but hey...we ninjas-"  
  
"Shut up and fight..." Sifan said jumping in the air, gunblade raised above his head. Avatar moved to the side, and nanoseconds after Sifan's blade came down, swishing the air near his shoulder. Avatar immediately locked Sifan's weapon-equipped hand in a death hold. The next thing the young Leonhart knew, Avatar's knee sunk into his stomach with force. Sifan crumpled to the ground, his gunblade lying next to him.  
  
"Aw..." Avatar said grinning again, "Don't tell me that's all the time we have today..."  
  
"Er...unfortunately...it is..." Sifan said sitting up, his hand on his stomach.  
  
"Ah, that's my boy..." came a voice from behind Avatar. Both of them turned to the direction of the voice. A man stood against the blue neon light, clad in a brown jacket with a furry-white collar. A glimmering lionheart hung by his side.   
  
Squall Leonhart smiled as Avatar helped Sifan to his feet, "Hmm...you two haven't changed...still sneaking away from the crowd, just so you could fight..."  
  
"Uh, Hi dad..." Sifan said, "Um...Nida told me you weren't coming..."  
  
"Hmm...why would I want to miss my son's graduation...? Well, the sad thing is, I did They had to get that turbo-warp thing fixed in the Ragnarok. Well, anyway, just last minute changes. That's all. Your mother and everyone else are taking care of the farewell party back in Esthar. Irvine and Zell send their regards."  
  
"Uh...yeah..." Sifan said, the pain still lingering, "Damn you Avatar! That one hurt..."  
  
"Aw c'mon pretty boy, I didn't hit you that hard..." Avatar said and turned to Squall, "Hey... You saw that didn't you, Squall?"  
  
Squall smiled, "I would've kicked him harder, Avatar."  
  
"Very funny, dad." Sifan said.  
  
"So...how about you two coming over to Esthar tonight?"  
  
"I-"  
  
"We'd love to..." Avatar said immediately before catching sight of someone across the passageway "Um, will you excuse me? I need to meet someone. The party's almost over. I'll see you after dinner..."  
  
[Tania...or was it Celina? Heck, who the hell cares...]  
  
Squall nodded to Avatar with a smile, and soon the ninja disappeared in a jiffy. Squall was across mid-age but he was still in good shape and often helped SeeD with a lot of missions. But some signs of aging were inevitable, he couldn't strain too long, and the skin under his steel blue eyes had tightened, but he was still as handsome nevertheless.   
  
"Hmm...don't you have to meet anyone, son?" Squall said continued to stroll beside his son.  
  
"Uh...no..."  
  
Squall laughed, "That probably means 'No and I don't want to, either'...right?"  
  
Sifan grinned, "What can I say? I'll have at least some things similar to you, if not all."  
  
"Seriously Sifan...not a single girl?"  
  
[Not you too...]  
  
"I don't need em' dad..."  
  
That amused Squall a lot. He laughed again.  
  
"What's so funny...?"  
  
"I was so much like you..."  
  
"Until you met mom on a night like this..."  
  
Squall smiled, "Ellone told me you forced her to show you all the 'interesting' parts of my life."  
  
"Er...yeah. I remember. When mom got you to dance that night... oh boy, those blue eyes of yours just couldn't get off her, could they?"  
  
"I danced that night, didn't I, Sifan?" Squall said, absentmindedly looking at the sky.  
  
"Yeah...."  
  
[She had you hook, line and sinker]  
  
"She had me hook, line and sinker..."  
  
Sifan looked at his father.  
  
"What? Something I said?"  
  
"Uh...no..." Sifan said withdrawing his look as they approached the dinner table on the balcony. Squall looked at his watch and sighed, "I'll have to meet a few people now, Sifan. I'll be with you in a few minutes, ok?"  
  
Sifan nodded. Squall gave his son a pat on his back and went away. Sifan walked over to the balcony railing and stared at the stars that seemed to be doing their best at shining.  
  
[Dad...he used to be such a lone wolf. Alone and lost. Then mom came along like in the fairy tales. Then his life became her. Everything in Squall Leonhart lived for Rinoa Heartilly. Don't know if it's wonderful or just plain sad. Then he slowly changed. She showed him how to live. She helped him to become everything he is. Dad, obviously, feels the same thing should happen to me. But I don't see any wonder or magic in love at all. Maybe it was because; things aren't as bad for me as they were for Dad at 17. Or maybe I don't know how it feels to be an Orphan. Or maybe I didn't grow up away from the world, as Dad had. Whatever it is, each of us had a different bringing up, but at this stage of life, we were more or less the same. Only thing, I am not as lonely as Dad was inside...and I guess that's why I don't find love so intriguing and astonishing like its some savior...]  
  
There was sound of clapping behind Sifan, interrupting his train of thought. He turned around to see what all the commotion was about. He found out soon enough. A SeeD had proposed to another female SeeD with a diamond ring in front of all her friends and his. She had accepted.  
  
[And of course, the crowd erupts into cheers, like its some grand finale to a game....]  
  
They calmed down after a while and sat around a huge table, all with curvy smiles on their faces. The girl who had been proposed to, just kept looking at the diamond glittering on her finger and broke into tears and kissed her man-to-be.   
  
[Geez...they just keep lookin' at each other's eyes as if there's no tomorrow...]  
  
Sifan turned around and walked to a small table facing away from the rest of the crowd, overlooking the silver ocean.   
  
"Champagne, sir?" the white-suited waiter asked with a raised eyebrow as soon as Sifan sat on the chair.  
  
"Um.... no thanks...I'll just have a glass of water..." Sifan said.  
  
"Will there be anyone else joining you, sir? We have this special for couples-"  
  
"No...it will be only me, thank you." Sifan said, finishing rather abruptly.  
  
After the waiter went away, Sifan buried his face into his hands.   
  
[I still have another party to live through. Geez, talk about back to back parties. There'll probably be another bunch of waiters asking me all sorts of questions...Oh yeah...and then there'll be Avatar's mentor Mr. Irvine Kinneas...the co-author of my nickname 'pretty boy' asking me where's my girlfriend...Zell will probably punch me where Avatar kicked me and he'd go, 'wassup, man'... and mom of course, gets kissy kissy...and Quistis would elucidate on my garden performances and exaggerate probably everything, and then of course selphie'd be, 'woooooooohoooo, Sifoo's a SeeD' and she'll ruffle up my hair...Oh God, what a night this is gonna be...]  
  
  
  
************ 


	8. CHAPTER 8

Chapter 8  
  
Zell Dincht punched Sifan Leonhart accurately where Avatar had kicked him earlier, "Wassup man?"   
  
Before Sifan could say anything Selphie Kinneas disheveled Sifan's hair and screamed excitedly, "woooooooohoooo, Sifoo's a Seed!!!"   
  
Irvine had earlier asked whether Sifan had brought his girlfriend but when he replied in a negative, he had just smiled his modest smile and went away with his 'student-in-flirt-arms", Avatar Fenis.   
  
Rinoa came over and placed a kiss on Sifan's cheek, "welcome home, darling..."  
  
[Everybody's jus too predictable these days, really...]  
  
"Honey, I am sorry but I have to take care of a few things. Just a bit busy..." Rinoa said, "I ll be with you in a few minutes."  
  
"Sure thing." Sifan nodded as Rinoa smiled again and went away to attend to the early guests.  
  
Sifan still stood at the door of the huge presidential residence in Esthar. He took a good look at it and sighed. It was Laguna's last day at the magnificent place. But he had served his time.   
  
"Hey, are you gonna just stand there all night, pretty boy?" Irvine's voice rang out from a corner, "Bring me those streamers will you...?"  
  
Sifan picked a pack of colorful streamers on a table near him and walked over to the cowboy, "Say, Irvine...Where's Ron?"  
  
"He went to pick up his girlfriend in Dollet. She couldn't come alone on the train. Not many people take the train at this time of the night, you know. Or maybe they just wanted to make it romantic..."  
  
"I'll take the latter one. After all, He IS your son..."  
  
Irvine climbed up on a chair and stuck a streamer to the wall, "Hey, where's your old man?"  
  
"The Ragnarok's gone to pick him up. He'll be here in another hour or so. He had to talk to some people. Quistis will come with him too..."  
  
"That aint gonna take an hour, Sifan..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"We're talkin turbo-warping Ragnarok now, kiddo..."  
  
"Oh yeah... Zell was telling me about that..."  
  
"Yup, I feel it's that old goose Odine's best invention yet. You just type in the co-ordinates of the place you want to go to, and there's this small lil' gunny kind of thing under the cockpit that fires this beam in the air and opens up a floating portal. You just fly through the portal and voila! You're there...cool stuff, huh?"  
  
"Yeah... Esthar's really somewhere when it comes to technology, huh?"  
  
"HEY, IRVINE, you moron!" Zell screamed from the other corner, "stop yakkin' and stick the frickin' streamers, will ya?"  
  
"I'll leave you alone..." Sifan said to Irvine, "Where's Mr. Smooth?"  
  
"Oh... Avatar took that Tania girl to that skyscraper a few blocks away. He wanted to show her the view or something... that kid's after my own heart..."  
  
[Tell me about it...]  
  
"See ya around" Sifan said and took a look at the arrangements going on for the party. Rinoa was running up and down arranging the food on the table. Zell was putting up all sorts of posters. Selphie stuck a president sticker on a teddy bear and made it sit on one of the stools. Irvine of course, was busy with the streamers. A few other friends of Laguna were also present. Kiros and Ward were the president's right and left hand and so they had gone to balamb. The preparations were almost complete.   
  
[Where the hell was Laguna back in balamb...? I didn't see him...or Kiros or Ward...probably my fault... I didn't even sit around still for ten minutes... Dad didn't join me for Dinner either. Maybe something important came up...Hmm.... talk of the devil, here they are...Guess the turbo-warp stuff's working...]  
  
The sound of the Ragnarok landing outside fell on everyone's ears. Zell fell down from the stool he was standing on and hissed, " Somebody switch of the lights, godammit..." Rinoa ran away to the back to do so. And soon the lights went out. Total blackness.  
  
They all stayed quiet making the place silent as a graveyard. Laguna's voice came from the entrance, "Hmm...What happened here? Something wrong with the main board...I think..."  
  
"I'll go check..." Kiros' voice followed.   
  
"I think I'll give Kiros a hand..." Squall said next.  
  
Nobody uttered anything when Laguna spoke, "Great party at balamb, eh Ward?"  
  
He was greeted with silence.  
  
"I didn't see lil' Sifan though..." He continued under the belief someone was listening to him.  
  
[I am little?]  
  
"What a time for a blackout, eh Ward?"  
  
[Laguna's not changed one bit...]  
  
"Ward...? Squall...? Hey... anyone there?......Kiros?"  
  
Suddenly there was a loud explosion and the lights came on and everyone screamed in unison. A few of them started honking air horns and someone put on the music at full volume while others still, busted a few balloons. A flabbergasted Esthar President stood there, still. Someone outside even unleashed fireworks in the sky which wrote in a magical green light, 'Cheers to the greatest president of ESTHAR...' When he finally came to, he smiled, still a bit surprised   
  
[Not bad for last minute preparations...]  
  
Laguna received a hug from Squall and felicitations from everyone. Sifan waited for the crowd to clear a little. While he was waiting, a voice came from behind him, "Ain't ya gonna hug yer grandpa, Leonhart?"  
  
[That voice!]  
  
Sifan spun around to see Relafen Almasy smirking at him, "Don't ask me why I am here. I DON'T KNOW."  
  
"Hmm...let me guess. Ward, Kiros, Squall and Quistis walked up to you and invited you. How can Seifer. Jr. say no?"  
  
Relafen mumbled something in his mouth, "Yeah. Yeah. Tyranny..."  
  
"Like I said..." Sifan smiled turning around and looking back, "Enjoy the Party, Relafen..."  
  
Squall whispered something in Laguna's ears. Laguna nodded negatively at first but then he agreed. He walked up to a microphone that was hurriedly set up by Selphie. Everybody turned to Laguna as he cleared his voice.  
  
"Uh, Well..." he started, "I am touched...uh really...you guys remembered the last day of this old man's presidency over Esthar. Um, I really like to thank you all for this. I...I never expected anything like this...it's been great being the president of this great country and well, I hope, It will flourish in every way in the decades to come...thank you..."  
  
They all broke into claps and cheers again. Laguna stepped away from the microphone and made his way to a table near Sifan. At first, he didn't notice Sifan and sat down on a chair.  
  
"Uh...waiter..." he said turning to Sifan, "do you mind bringing me a glass of-"  
  
He stopped. "Sifan!?"  
  
"You haven't completed your order sir..."  
  
"Aw, cut the crap my boy!" Laguna said getting up and hugging him tightly, "You've grown. The last time I saw you, you were complaining about that punch of Avatar's which broke your tooth...you were ten if I remember correctly..."  
  
"Believe me, gramps, things haven't changed all that much..." Sifan said, touching his stomach, which was still jittering a bit.  
  
"I am sorry I didn't meet you in balamb...I was taking care of those SeeD funding matters... for the last time that is."  
  
"Nah, its ok..." Sifan replied, "Wasn't much to see..."  
  
"Hey, C'mon...I did want to see how you danced..."  
  
[Sigh...yet another one...]  
  
"You did dance, didn't you?"  
  
"No.... I wasn't feeling too well..." Sifan lied.  
  
"That's too bad... Oh look, it's your headmaster... I better go say hello... Help your self to the food my boy" Laguna said and went away to meet the old goat.  
  
He looked around. Everyone was engaged in a conversation with someone or another, enjoying, laughing, and involved in some kind of emotional pleasure that can exist between people.  
  
[I always seem to be alone...don't I?]  
  
*************  
  
It was him she wanted. Squall Leonhart's son. Not his best friend. Somehow, it had all cross-fired and there she was, in that forsaken balcony in Esthar's tallest skyscraper, looking into Avatar Fenis' eyes, but still finding nothing.  
  
"Hey...your friends tell me, you read palms...and stuff like that..." Avatar said after hitting on Tania for some time.  
  
"Hmm... Even if I did read palms Avatar, there's no way I am gonna read yours..." Tania said, smiling at him, "Say...Where's your friend...?"  
  
"Who? Sifan?"  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"Pretty boy is in the presidential palace... he's probably standing in some corner, alone..."  
  
"Hmm..."  
  
"So...that's your game, huh?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You want Sifan Leonhart...I should've known...they ALL want him..."  
  
"No no no...Avatar...I came with you for you...ok? Not for some walking mummy like Sifan Leonhart..."  
  
"Hee hee...walking mummy...that's a good one..."  
  
Confident she had him around her little finger, Tania continued, "Well, yeah...I do read palms...my mom taught me...sometimes I am right.... sometimes I am wrong"  
  
"Hmm...you just wanna hold my hand, right...?" Avatar said as Tania lifted Avatar's palm, "Why don't you just say so...?"  
  
"Well if you put it that way..." She said, running a finger down the lines of his palm, "Hmm..."  
  
"Well, what do you see...? When do we get married?"  
  
"Smart-ass..." She said, "Lets see...you are going to go out of this world-"  
  
Avatar started to snicker, "Hmm... how will the aliens look like? Fine-looking and attractive like you?"  
  
"Oh shut up...you hit on me like there's no tomorrow..." Tania said, observing his palm, "Hmm...this is beautiful...your fate line gives way to someone else's-"  
  
Avatar wrapped his fingers around her wrist, pulled her close, and looked in to her eyes. "Not as beautiful as you...". He said, with the silky tone Irvine had taught him.  
  
Tania wrapped her arms around his neck; "You're just as smooth as they get...."  
  
He leant forward and kissed her. Tania didn't resist and allowed him to, but in her mind, she pretended the boy in front of her was Sifan Leonhart.  
  
************* 


	9. CHAPTER 9

Chapter 9  
  
Rinoa and Squall waved goodbye as the Ragnarok slowly lifted into the sky. They had promised to come see Sifan the next day as they were too busy too spend time with him. Initially, they had wanted Sifan to take a leave from his first day of SeeD but after what Quistis had told him about the Garden committee, he decided not to risk anything. Soon the Airship cruised out of the presidential residence's view.   
  
The weather that had been agreeable all along began to turn its color. There were rumors of a thunderstorm near the Galbadian plains, but from the clouds that were starting to loom in the sky, it seemed like they were going to have one too. A huge thunder deafened the Ragnarok's occupants as it slowly veered around in the direction of the island of balamb.  
  
Avatar sat dreamily behind the Pilot's seat in the cockpit, thinking of Tania. Since Tania was not a SeeD and was still a normal classman, she had to be in garden premises early. So she had left on the first trip the Ragnarok made to balamb after the party in Esthar. She had promised him lunch together the next day, hoping she could link up with Sifan in the process. Avatar, however, unaware of the intentions of the girl he had fallen for, was whistling romantic tunes he knew from the album of the 'wild chocobos' rock band.  
  
Relafen sat the last seat, with his legs on the headrest of the seat before him, polishing his gunblade in his usual smug manner. Sifan stood behind Nida and watched him pilot the Ragnarok.  
  
"Say..." Sifan broke the silence, "Can't we...uh...turbo warp?"  
  
Nida shrugged, "Well, we could if we want to, but I've never really tried anything like that...without technical assistance..."  
  
"Aw C'mon Nida..." Avatar said, "You know how to do it, right? Besides, you've been flying this thing for almost two decades."  
  
Lighting struck a tree on the ground ahead of them and split it into two, as rain started to pour down heavily, almost thrashing the Ragnarok's exterior like metal bullets.  
  
"The weather's not too friendly today, is it?" Sifan said looking at his watch, which showed 2 A.M.  
  
"This is not good...." Nida said, "We haven't had a storm like this in years..."  
  
Relafen got up, satisfied with the burnish on his gunblade, "So why don't we just turbo warp our goddamn asses to some nearby landing space..."  
  
Nida opened a small control panel, which read, 'Turbo warp'. He punched in a few co-ordinates and sighed, "Yeah...I really can't see a thing. Its raining giant buckets."   
  
Another thunder boomed across the hazy horizon. Sifan nodded in agreement, "Turbo warping somewhere safe is better than crashing into some mountain at 400 mph..."  
  
"Alright..." Nida said, "here we-"  
  
Before Nida's finger touched the 'confirm' button, a lightning bolt hammered the tail of the Ragnarok causing it to whirl frantically. Sifan shot out his right hand and grabbed a nearby seat and managed to secure himself as Avatar and Nida, with their seat belts on, received a hard jolt. Relafen, however, was unlucky enough to have forgotten his seat belt. The force, with which the Airship spun around, sent him flying backwards, flat against the cockpit door. His right elbow hit the steel hard, the shock causing him to trigger the gunblade in his hand. The bullet barely missed Sifan's face and crunched in to the turbo warp control panel.  
  
The Ragnarok's engines were still on and the exhaust was pouting out flames. Sifan's eyes fell on the small screen on the turbo warp control panel. The co-ordinates display was going crazy, flashing all sorts of digits and symbols endlessly. Amidst the hassle of the Ragnarok still swirling wildly, Nida reached over to the control panel to close it but he received an electric shock as Relafen's bullet had revealed the circuitry. Before he knew it, the confirm button turned green and Ragnarok's turbo warp device started to zap rays wildly. To make matters worse, the Ragnarok 's left tail smashed into a mountain and was in flames, too strong to be wiped out by the raindrops.   
  
"Shit..." Nida screamed, "The left tail is just above the fuel carrier...WE better get the hell outta here. Sifan, Relafen and Avatar...take a jet pack on the wall of the corridor, outside the door and head to the emergency exit, FAST! I'll follow you as soon as I put the emergency chutes on..."  
  
The three of them didn't waste any time. They rushed outside and grabbed a jetpack each. They helped each other with the buckling of the straps as the Ragnarok continuously shook, almost knocking them off their feet.  
  
"The emergency exit is just ahead...." Avatar said, "Follow me...."  
  
Sifan looked back at Nida, frantically trying to get things in order. He had managed to activate the emergency chutes and the Ragnarok stayed wobbly but un-accelerated. Sifan wished him luck and hurried to the emergency exit. Avatar smashed open the emergency exit as an avalanche of wind and water lashed against their faces. Relafen jumped outside, activating the jetpack flare as soon as he was in the air. Avatar followed and turned around hovering in the air, "Sifan...jump out dammit!"  
  
[I hope Nida 'll make it...]  
  
Sifan sighed and jumped out.  
  
The three of them stayed in the air, waiting for Nida. Suddenly, the turbo warp gun went berserk again and began to shoot rays, opening up bright blue rectangular portals everywhere it shot. As if to target the three SeeDs, the wind harshly changed direction. It blew the chutes to the right, turning the Ragnarok's head straight towards Sifan, Relafen and Avatar.  
  
"Damn!" Relafen screamed. Before they could steer themselves out of danger, rays from the turbo-warp gun shot through the rain and engulfed all three of them, blinding them with it's dazzling blue light.  
  
Sifan felt his body freeze without sensation, his head becoming unsteady. He felt his jetpack die out with a flicker. The next thing he knew, a strange sense of falling came over him, like he fell into a pit of perpetuity. All around him, there was only darkness, but he kept falling. He didn't see Relafen or Avatar. He tried to move, but his nerves didn't seem to respond to his brain, the numbness spreading to his neck. As he continued to fall, his consciousness began to fade away and everything went pitch black.   
  
**************  
  
Sifan Leonhart opened his eyes; his head feeling like someone had put a knife through it.   
  
"Ow...." He said clutching his head, "w-what h-happened...?"  
  
Avatar Fenis' feet crunched the pieces of twig lying near Sifan.  
  
"We got turbo warped to some forest...that's all..." he said pulling Sifan to his feet.   
  
"Ugh...God, my head..." Sifan said looking at the trees packed so densely that they hardly seemed to allow even air to enter. Avatar Fenis stood near him, dusting himself and pulling a leaf out of his hair. Sifan looked at his coat, it was torn at a few places, seemingly from scraping against trees.  
  
"Hey...I think we fell from quite a height..." Sifan said looking at the broken jetpack lying on the ground, "How come we didn't even break a cartilage?"  
  
"Beats me..." Avatar replied looking at the scratches on his elbow, "Maybe the trees broke our fall...I don't know..."  
  
"Where the hell is Relafen...?" Sifan said looking around, "Not that I care...but heck, he did fall with us..."  
  
"Take a look at that..." Avatar said pointing to small piece of Relafen's trench coat stuck on a thorn, "The guy scrammed outta here faster than light I guess. He wasn't there when I came to."  
  
"Let's get outta here..." Sifan said, wiping away beads of sweat.  
  
  
  
"Looks like this is a forest near the cetra region... what a fine place to get warped to..." Avatar said as they made their way across the forest, pushing and cutting the branches and the green outgrowths with their swords.   
  
After a few minutes of unenthusiastically hacking away the forest plant life, they finally came to a path leading out of the forest. They heaved a sigh relief and sheathed their weapons and walked out of the forest into the clear air. There were no clouds at all. There were only stars and millions of them, glittering along with the radiance of the full white moon.  
  
"Well, will you look at THAT?" Avatar said, "The weather's playing nice now, huh?"  
  
"Hey..." Sifan said, "What about Nida..."  
  
Avatar frowned, "Let's just hope he's alright buddy."  
  
Sifan nodded, "yeah..."  
  
A cold gust of wind blew across the wide land, making them shiver. There were many forests, like the one they had come out of, scattered as far as they could see. A little far away was a sandy beach, the smell of seawater reaching their senses. Just then, Avatar froze.  
  
"What-"  
  
"Shhh...." Avatar said, "listen..."   
  
Sifan tried to listen but all he heard was the wind ranting and raving. He tried again, but only the same results reoccurred.   
  
"Move!" Avatar screamed and tackled Sifan to the ground as he felt something rush past his face with a menacing growl. The beast turned around and crouched on the ground to attack as Sifan and Avatar drew out their blades.  
  
It was too dark to see the beast clearly but Sifan saw its hide. It was dark brown; it's teeth revealed by the moonlight. It leapt in the air and slapped Sifan right across the face; it's claws drawing blood from his skin. Sifan knelt down, the pain callously throbbing in his cheek.   
  
"Hey, you ok?" Avatar said, taking a potion from his pocket.  
  
"Yeah. But that animal isn't going to be..." Sifan replied. He was tired, frustrated and to make it worse, the beast had given him a bloody scratch. His temple tightened and so did his jaw. Avatar Fenis knew what this meant. The poor beast was going to get Renzokukened to nothingness.  
  
Sifan stood up raising his gunblade, removing the safety lock with his thumb. Squall had spent an entire night staying up, and teaching Sifan the Renzokuken. He had said that limit breaks could only be triggered with a sense of exhaustion, fury and pain. All the three ingredients were more than present with Sifan at that moment. He leapt into the air and landed on the beast with a whirlwind of wild and fierce slashes, triggering his gunblade, every time he felt his sword making contact. The beast let out a yelp as Sifan's blade disemboweled him, literally. Sifan flipped backwards in to the air and got ready to start his limit break special, when Avatar placed his hand on his shoulder, "Hey...he's dead...you Renzokukened the living hell out of him..."  
  
Sifan looked at the beast lying dead on the ground. He lowered his gunblade, panting, as Avatar healed Sifan with the potion.  
  
"Poor thing..." Avatar said, walking up to the beast, "His Early morning snack proved fatal..."  
  
Sifan looked at his watch. 3 A.M. Avatar put his sword in its holder behind his back. His eyes lit up and he pointed to something behind Sifan, "Look..."  
  
Sifan turned around and saw a light at a distance, "Finally...civilization."  
  
After walking a fair bit, they came to a village. They walked through its entrance and noticed there were small cottages made of adamantine roofs scattered around the area. There was a huge glowing well in the middle and a water tower at one corner. There didn't seem to be anyone around.  
  
"Hey, check that out..." Sifan said pointing to the gleaming well.  
  
"Wow..." Avatar said scratching his head, "I don't think it's water in there..."  
  
Sifan's curiosity got the better of him, "Hey... let's go and check it out..."  
  
Avatar didn't move.   
  
"C'mon..." Sifan repeated.  
  
  
  
Sifan looked at Avatar, surprised. He was standing still. Too still. With a pale look on his face, his eyes were on Sifan's chest. He slowly stuttered, "S-Sifan...l-look..."  
  
Sifan looked down at his chest. A chill went down his spine, almost freezing it. He swallowed hard. A small red laser dot stood in the middle of his chest. Sifan had heard Irvine talk about it all too often. They were his favorite. Sniper rifles.......  
  
"A-Avatar..." Sifan said raising his hands in the air, "Where the hell are we?"  
  
"Well...I haven't heard of this p-place..." Avatar said nervously, "but a board back there said 'Mideel'..."  
  
**************** 


	10. CHAPTER 10

Chapter 10  
  
The laser dot stood frozen on Sifan's chest,  
  
[Whoever this sniper is, he isn't moving a ligament...]  
  
Avatar decided to clear the predicament as fast as he could.   
  
"HEY" he screamed, "WE ARE LOST...we aren't thieves or whatever you think we are..."  
  
The dot moved from Sifan's chest to Avatar's. Avatar took a step back, "WE AREN'T LYING FOR GOD'S SAKE. GET THIS THING OFF ME!"  
  
It was Sifan's turn, "Yeah. Our Airship crashed. And we saw this light...and we came here."  
  
Only muteness prevailed. The laser dot was still on Avatar. Sifan turned and saw the source of the sniper sight. The air was a little misty, showing a thin perforated red line from the point on Avatar's chest leading to a tree at the far corner of town.   
  
[He's sniping from that tree.]  
  
"Yes, he IS on that tree..." said a female voice from behind a cottage a few feet to the left from Sifan.  
  
A girl with dark brown hair stepped out of the shadows. Her knees were padded up and thick leather gloves stretched to her elbows, a few gleaming stones fixed in slots on the gloves. The wind blew her long hair behind as she walked up to the place where Avatar was standing stock-still.  
  
"Uh..." Avatar said looking at the girl, "What's a girl like you doing in a place like this, honey?"  
  
[Oh brother...Avatar's the kind that'll flirt with Ultimecia...]  
  
As if the sniper had heard Avatar, the red dot moved up right between his eyes.   
  
"WHOA" Avatar said, "Tell sniper boy to go easy, will ya...?"  
  
The girl looked at Sifan and Avatar for sometime and raised her hand. The sniper sight disappeared from Avatar as both of them relaxed.  
  
"Geez..." Avatar said wiping his brow, "Is this the way you treat your guests..."  
  
"Cut the sweet talk. What's your game this time?" She said tilting her head.  
  
"Game? Our Airship crashed and we came here. Does that sound like a game, beautiful?" Avatar said, annoyed.  
  
"Shin-Ra's pilots usually don't crash their airships...neither do they fly at this time of the night..." the girl said folding her hands.  
  
"Shi-what? I don't know what you're talking about, sister...we're from balamb garden. We're SeeDs. We were coming back from Esthar when we had the little misfortune..."  
  
"Balam garden? SeeDs? Esther?" the girl said puzzled, "you must have taken quite a crash. You're talking Greek..."  
  
Suddenly, another shorthaired girl came running from the far opposite end of the village. She almost stumbled and fell, as she coughed out, "Phillona! Shi-Shin-Ra. they're coming...around fifteen of them, southwest of here..."  
  
"Assist Trex with those soldiers, Marlene. Have Trex snipe as many soldiers as he can. You support him with magic..." Phillona said and turned to Sifan and Avatar, "I'll take care of these two Shin-Ra twerps..."  
  
"So...that's very clever you know..." Phillona said tightening her fists, as Marlene ran away in a hurry, "Providing a distraction, so your pals can storm in from the other end..."  
  
"NO! Wait..." Avatar said as he bent backwards, Phillona's feet missing his chin by inches. He staggered backwards in a half-ready fighting stance.  
  
Sifan's heart skipped a beat when the sniper sight re-appeared in his arm.  
  
[Damn!]  
  
Sifan tried to run but the minute he took the first step, a bullet zinged through the air, and dejected in to his left arm.  
  
[Aargh! I am hit...]  
  
He clenched his left arm with his right hand, looking around for a place to conceal himself. Before the sniper sight could fall on him again, he ran to a narrow gap between two cottages and flattened himself against the wall, his arm starting to bleed. He removed the coat, with some difficulty, and sat down. He tore away the sleeve of his black shirt. The bullet's impact had been condensed to a fair bit by the SeeD coat but it had still managed to inter itself in the flesh. Sifan grit his teeth. The pain was excruciating.  
  
Avatar's hesitation to a fight a girl proved costly. An uppercut from Phillona almost cracked his jaw as he flew backwards and fell on a clay pot, pretending to be out cold.   
  
Phillona hurriedly went away thinking Avatar was knocked out. Avatar got up, clenching his jawbone, which Phillona had almost taken apart. His eyes fell on Sifan and he ran over to him past another sniper bullet that barely missed him.   
  
"Hey, you ok buddy?" He said crouching near Sifan, "Shit. That son of a bitch got you..."  
  
"Uh...look..." Sifan said, "Help them..."  
  
"Forget it..." Avatar said, pulling out his katana blade "We got to get this bullet out first...it's iridium-tipped."  
  
"No...neither of our swords is clean. You'll end up contaminating me if you use the sword. And we are going to need something sharp. So don't bother..." Sifan said, the pain heightening, "Help these Mideel guys fight those Shin-something guys, that's the only way they're gonna trust us..."  
  
Avatar tentatively got up, but he nodded.  
  
"Take care of yourself...I'll be back soon..." he said and rushed out. To his luck, the sniper was busy focusing on the Shin-Ra troops that were heading towards the village. He ran directly to the tree and jumped on a branch, and flipped to the thickest branch. A boy was crouched there, looking into the eyepiece of a sniper rifle. The boy was too engaged with the sniping to notice Avatar. Avatar slipped out his sword silently, and placed it on the neck of the boy.  
  
"Look...Mr. Trex..." he whispered, "You hit my friend back there. And believe me, he's bleeding to hell. Now, I can slit your neck open in a minute but I am not going to."  
  
The boy stayed motionless as Avatar continued, "I am not your Shin-whatever soldier. We were speaking the damn truth. Now, I am going to take out those troops who you're fighting. You try sniping me, believe me, I can sense your laser sight faster than you think. If I see a single red dot on me, the beautiful martial-arts girl gets a shruiken in the head, got it?"  
  
The boy nodded as Avatar jumped down and rushed towards the place where he heard gunshots. A little away from the village, in rocky out plains with trees all round, Phillona and the other girl, Marlene stood against an avalanche of Shin-Ra soldiers. Phillona's ice spell knocked a soldier out of his senses and a couple of bullets from Trex pinned another two down. The soldiers, however, were closing in and the barrier Marlene had cast was getting weak from the bullets it was receiving. Moreover, the soldiers had spotted the sniper and a few of them ran towards the tree where Trex was sniping.   
  
Avatar looked around. To his luck, there was a row of trees leading to the Shin-Ra airship from where the troops were approaching. He took to a tree without delay and being a ninja, he moved silent as a snake and swift as a bat. He somersaulted and jumped from tree to tree with utmost effortlessness. Soon he came to the place where the Shin-Ra airship had landed. His grappling hook often came useful for making long distances like the one between Avatar's tree and the ship. He aimed at the propeller and shot his grappling hook, which latched on with no problems. After swinging to the airship wing, he hung from the edge of the wing with one hand. Directly below him stood an unsuspecting Shin-Ra soldier. Avatar removed his sword from its holder and let go of the wing he was hanging from. He landed on the soldier, his sword sinking straight into the soldier's lungs, killing him instantaneously.  
  
One down, fourteen to go. Avatar told himself as he turned around examining the airship. His eyes fell on a tank, which read, 'Fuel Reservoir-caution'  
  
Avatar smiled. He raised his katana and buried it into the tank, which cut through the steel like it was butter. He pulled his sword down and wrenched open the tank as the fuel poured out. He walked to the other side and opened the door to the soldier's cabin. All the soldiers had rushed out towards the village and hence, no one was around. Sifan tiptoed into the cabin. There were all sorts of pictures on the wall. "Perverts..." Avatar muttered under his breath as he inched his way along the wall towards the cockpit.   
  
The cockpit door slid open and the Shin-Ra captain walked out only to find himself staring at the tip of Avatar's sword on his heart.   
  
"Do as I say...or..." Avatar slid the sword down to the captain's groin.  
  
"NO!" the captain screamed, "Anything but that.... PLEASE! I ll do whatever you tell me..."  
  
*****************************  
  
The Shin-Ra soldier smiled. Their barrier was broken, and both his opponents were too weary to fight. He aimed his gun at the brown-haired girl's forehead, "Its such a shame...a beauty like you...."  
  
His fellow soldiers snorted and laughed as the soldier aiming at Phillona Strife and Marlene Wallace placed his finger on the trigger.  
  
The air, all of a sudden, crackled alive with a voice from the megaphone on the ship behind them, "This is the captain speaking. All Shin-Ra units. Report to the airship please. We have orders to withdraw now..."  
  
The soldier with the gun fumed. He pulled out his pocket communicator as the other soldiers remained immobile with their guns pointed at the two girls, "Negative. We have everything under control. Even the Sniper has been captured."  
  
"We have orders from GENERAL RUPERT THORNE! GODDAMMIT! GET YOUR FRICKIN' ASSES BACK HERE. DON'T TAKE HOSTAGES AND DON'T HURT ANYONE!!!" the captain screamed, feeling Avatar's sword go through his pant's zipper.  
  
"Affirmative." The soldier's voice came over the speaker in the cockpit, "Are you ok, captain? Your voice-"  
  
"I AM FINE. JUST GET THE HELL BACK HERE!" the captain cried and hung up the communicator. Sweating, he punched in a few buttons and called Shin-Ra headquarters like Avatar had told him.  
  
"This is headquarters. We hear you Unit Alpha 5. State your purpose."  
  
The captain stuttered, "W-we've been defeated again. All soldiers in Alpha 5 are dead. Mission failed."  
  
The voice at the headquarters was silent and then spoke, "Unit Alpha 6 will be at your co-ordinates in a few minutes. Bring the bodies back to HQ. Do not re-attempt mission. You're on stand by till then."  
  
With that the line went dead. Avatar smiled, "good boy..." He raised his hand, and struck the captain across his neck. He fell unconscious in a second. Avatar looked up. He smashed the glass on the top of the cockpit and squeezed himself out through the top, managing to get on top of the airship. He aimed at a nearby tree and grappled there in a flash.   
  
Reluctantly, the soldiers pulled back after cursing something or someone under their breath. Avatar waited impatiently on the top of the tree, as the soldiers made their way back to the airship. Phillona and Marlene stood there puzzled. The soldiers climbed in to the ship in a hurry, much to Avatar's satisfaction.   
  
Avatar grinned as though he was evil. He concentrated and cast a fire on the broken fuel tank. The explosion was drastic as the Airship went up in giant flames, which soon reached the engine causing it to blast again. Soon, there was nothing but a huge wall of fire where the Shin-Ra airship had stood.  
  
The ninja landed in front of the two on-lookers, both of them, their jaws wide open. Phillona had seen Avatar jump across the trees. She had thought the Shin-Ra coward was running for the safety of his ship. She didn't know she would be this wrong.  
  
"Now, do you believe we are not Shin-la...or whatever...?" Avatar said grinning.   
  
"You did that-?" Marlene asked, "I mean. All that...."  
  
"The captain helped out a bit..." he said winking at Marlene.   
  
She threw herself around Avatar Fenis' neck, "Thanks..."  
  
Phillona sighed as Marlene stepped back, embarrassed of how she had lost control, out of gratitude.  
  
"Yeah...Thanks" Phillona said, "Couldn't have done it without you."  
  
Avatar walked away towards the village, the fire behind him dying out slowly when the thought of Sifan's condition came to his mind.  
  
"Oh by the way." He turned around, the smile on his face vanishing, " Your sniper sent an iridium-tipped bullet into my friend's arm...if you don't know...Iridium can kill in three hours or less..."  
  
*******************  
  
Avatar crouched down near Sifan who was still in the same place, "Hey..."  
  
Sifan looked up at Avatar, "I took that bullet out with my gunblade. To hell with getting contaminated. The pain was killing me."  
  
The villagers had come out after the incident, hearing the explosion. Marlene and Phillona were busy sending them back to their beds, assuring them everything was all right.  
  
Trex Denver walked over to Sifan, who was on his feet but still clenching his left arm.   
  
"Meet your friendly neighborhood sniper" Avatar said putting Sifan's right arm around his neck to support him, "Thanks a bunch, kiddo..."  
  
"I am sorry..." Trex said, "The medical room is just over there. P-Phillona will have h-him fixed in no time. Sorry...I..."  
  
"It's ok...." Sifan said, "don't sweat it..."  
  
Trex ran over to the medical room and opened the locked door with a key as Avatar helped Sifan.  
  
"What did you do back there?" Sifan asked, "I heard an explosion..."  
  
"I blew up their airship...." Avatar said smiling, "along with them..."  
  
Sifan sighed, "You killed a dozen soldiers...?"  
  
"Don't make it sound so apocalyptical..." Avatar said as Sifan sat down on the bed inside the medical room. It was a small room, with the walls painted in a creamish white color. There was a picture of a man with Spiky-blonde hair and another woman with brown hair standing together. Sifan noticed that the woman in the picture bore a lot of resemblance to Phillona. A diminutive table stood at the right, with a flower vase on top of it. A small cupboard was near the wall where Sifan guessed they kept their medical supplies. A clock on the wall showed 12 A.M, which was three and a half hours before Sifan's watch.  
  
Avatar stood looking at the picture of a lion with its tail on fire, "Hey Sifan..."  
  
"Yeah?" he said, slowly lying down on the soft bed, after adjusting his watch with his uninjured arm.  
  
"Where do you think we are...?"  
  
"I don't want to think about it...."  
  
Avatar smiled, "Guess you thought it over too, huh...?"  
  
"That girl didn't seem to know SeeD or balamb. Ok...that's agreeable. But I don't think anyone wouldn't know Esthar." Sifan said, recalling how confused Phillona had looked when he had mentioned Esthar.  
  
a  
  
"Irvine told me at the party...." Avatar said, "That turbo-warp was another one of Odine's IDTD disappointment models..."  
  
Sifan closed his eyes, the pain starting to rise again, "ID-what?"  
  
Avatar continued, "Inter Dimensional Transport Device...Odine had been trying to do inter-dimensional warps for the whole of last decade..."  
  
"Yeah.... I heard about it..."  
  
"But every gadget he dreamed up or produced was a flop...one of them, however, warped people within their world. He altered it..........made a few tweaks here and there........."  
  
".... And got it to warp people where they wanted it to..."  
  
"Yeah..." Avatar replied, "he thought it might be useful with the Ragnarok, since it was used so much."  
  
"So...Relafen's bullet screwed it up. It did what it was actually created to do and we've become victims of an inter-dimensional warp? Tell me this is all one big dream...."  
  
The pain in his arm shot up, brutally reminding Sifan that he was nowhere near dreamland.  
  
******************** 


	11. CHAPTER 11

Chapter 11  
  
"General! Reporting for status update on Mission 201, Sir!" came the traumatized voice of a soldier, after a rather tremulous salute."  
  
"You're the one from unit Alpha 6?"  
  
"Affirmative, Sir!"  
  
The tall man wearing the dark green Coat turned around. The medals on his pocket cast their shine on the soldier's face. A brown half-burnt cigar was stuck in between his lips. His thick brow line and his dead cold gaze made any Shin-Ra soldier shudder. He took off his gold-embroidered cap and placed it on the table on top of a map. He puffed a smoke in the air, making a strand of his silver hair fly up.  
  
"So...was 201 a success? Don't answer me in a negative, soldier..." he said in a frosty tone.  
  
"N-n.........negat-"  
  
The general's fist smashed down on the table, causing his glass of wine to fall on the ground and shatter. The soldier took a step back and then brought himself to attention, beads of sweat starting to form on his temple.  
  
"What were the reasons...? Don't give me that 'resistance' crap, soldier..." the general said, hoping he wouldn't hear what he knew he would.  
  
The soldier spoke, "I-I am afraid so, sir..."  
  
"Aren't you losers ASHAMED of yourselves!?" The general shouted, "I send FIFTEEN of you WITH an airship...to a tiny village on a small continent...."  
  
The general sighed, doing his best to keep him temper low.  
  
"Rupert..." he mumbled to himself, "Get a grip on yourself, will ya?"  
  
He calmly walked over to the soldier and placed a hand on his shoulder. The soldier stood still, in his rigid position, hoping desperately the general would discharge him in one piece.  
  
"Ok...what have we lost?" General Thorne said, "How many of the fifteen...?"  
  
"All f-fifteen sir.... and...the airship..." The soldier blurted out.  
  
General Thorne's fingers immediately wrapped around the soldier's neck. He flung him aside, sending him crashing into a box of rations. He marched furiously out of his tent into another one where a group of Shin-Ra soldiers were busy with computers and other communicative devices.  
  
"Get me on COM with HQ" General thorne barked, "I want the president on the line..."  
  
A Red-haired woman in a dark blue attire walked in to the President's office. She wore a shadowy blue cloak around her neck and a shimmering green ring on her index finger. On one of her arms was a silver metallic claw, with fingers as jagged as hell. Around her waist was a belt filled with all sorts of materia. She walked to the president's desk and saluted him.  
  
"Sir, reporting for status on mission 1202." she said.  
  
"Go ahead, General Keiara." The president said, resting his elbows on the arms of his executive wing chair.  
  
"Mission complete. No losses of any sort. Results as expected, Sir!"  
  
"Good. That means every one of those Wutai resistance rats are six feet under?"  
  
"Affirmative, sir. We torched their hideout."  
  
"Good. Good. You're doing a great job, General."  
  
"Thank you sir. And what of Mideel, sir?"  
  
"That moron Rupert has screwed up again.... I just had a conversation with him over COM."  
  
"Fatalities, sir?"  
  
"Fifteen men, an Airship and of course, our pride, Keiara..."  
  
"................."  
  
"Anything else, General?"  
  
"I have nothing more to report, Sir!" Keiara said saluting the president again.  
  
He dismissed her with a smile. She turned around and walked out of the president's office into the elevator and pressed the 'G' button and waited. The lift moved slowly down the cylindrical structure made of glass at the side of Shin-Ra headquarters. As soon as she reached the ground floor, she walked out of the headquarters into an air of tranquility. It was about one A.M in the morning. Not many people hung around Shin-Ra's Headquarters at that time of the night.  
  
She took a step forward before she suddenly halted.  
  
She laughed loudly, "Really...You fools think you can kill me like this...?"  
  
Then from a Tree nearby, two shadows jumped to the ground. Both of them stepped into the light of a nearby lamppost.  
  
One of them had a knife in his hand and tears in his eyes, "you killed.... Almost everyone of us in Wutai...you heartless...witch!"  
  
The other was his sister, who was just an early teenager, "yeah.... We just wanted you Shin-Ra jerks to not use the temple as your base...for that, you killed grandpa, mom....". She broke into tears.  
  
Keiara yawned, "So you've come to kill me..."  
  
Both the boy and the girl drew out their weapons. The nearby light illuminated their ragged clothes, as they got ready to attack. The boy took a step forward and the girl closed her eyes and hugged her brother. A green aura surrounded both him and his sister as they became semi-transparent.  
  
The ground started to shake violently, but Keiara maintained her balance. Soon, a rocky pedestal started to rise out of the ground. It rose till it was as tall as the Shin-Ra headquarters building. Suddenly, the wind became crazy as a huge creature rose behind the pedestal and stood on top of it. It's fins and tails were a razor-sharp blue. It's hide made of scaly aqua- shaded thick scales. It had a tongue like a snake's. Its pointed face looked down at its opponent, General Keiara.  
  
It screeched as the sound of a tidal wave approaching, filled the air.  
  
The General smiled, the ring on her finger, glowing even more brightly.  
  
"LEVIATHAN!" She shouted to the God of the seas, "LOOK AT ME..."  
  
Leviathan paid no heed.  
  
"I HAVE THE RING OF ORION, LEVIATHAN!" Keiara shouted, "SEE FOR YOURSELF!"  
  
Leviathan hissed loudly and looked at the General. The ring on her finger glowed very brightly.  
  
"AS YOU CAN SEE, LEVIATHAN, THIS RING MEANS I CAN OPEN THE EYES OF ORION. WILL YOU DARE TO FIGHT ORION, LEVIATHAN?" She continued, "HE WILL BE ABLE TO SEE YOU AS CLEAR AS I CAN."  
  
Leviathan screeched hysterically.  
  
"NOW IF YOU DON'T KILL YOUR SUMMONERS..." Keiara smiled, "...I WILL OPEN THE EYE OF ORION!"  
  
Leviathan let out another glass-shattering holler. Soon, Keiara's body became translucent and the brother and sister who had summoned Leviathan, re-appeared in the flesh.  
  
"Carl..." the girl said hugging her brother, "what's happening?"  
  
The boy stared wide-eyed at Leviathan, "I don't think God Leviathan is going to protect us, Leene..."  
  
Sifan Leonhart lie awake, the pain in his arm, not allowing him to sleep.  
  
[2 A.M...Two hours...I am losing a lot of blood...]  
  
Avatar stormed into the room, almost banging the door behind him to splinters.  
  
"Phillona left somewhere nearby. They're Goddamn MAD, I tell ya...they wound you and here you are, bleedin' to death and the girl who can treat your wound has gone somewhere.... Why? They're not telling. Where? They don't know. You know, I shouldn't have helped them...They should've all just-" Avatar fumed, cursing himself and everything else on earth.  
  
"R-relax...A-Avatar...It's not like I am gonna die..." Sifan said in a weak voice, although he felt he would die any moment.  
  
"Don't SAY THAT!" Avatar shouted, "look...there's something you need to know...that bullet was Iridium-tipped...meaning you'll be knockin' on heaven's doors in another hour! Ever wondered why an ordinary gunshot on your arm was suckin' the goddamn life out of you?"  
  
Just then, the door clicked open. Phillona Strife walked into her room, a bowl in her hand.  
  
Avatar Fenis flew into frenzy again, "Where the hell did you go? You get a bullet into his hand, and run off somewhere!? You got some nerve..."  
  
"Avatar!" Sifan said, "Calm d-down!"  
  
After staring down Phillona, he walked of the room, slamming the door shut again.  
  
Phillona walked over to Sifan, after taking a few packs of cotton, bandages and a few small bottles. He frowned as she opened the bottles.  
  
"Relax. This isn't going to hurt." She said, dipping the cotton in one of the bottles.  
  
[Yeah. That's what they all say...]  
  
"You know..." Phillona said, "You're lucky to have a friend who's ready to kill me because Trex gave you a gunshot wound..."  
  
"..................................."  
  
"Look. I wanna apologize for everything...."  
  
"..................................."  
  
"I am not talking to a zombie here, you know............"  
  
"...................................."  
  
"Hey..." Avatar said loudly through the window, his voice in a much relaxed tone, "Tell Mr. Zombie when he's gonna kick the bucket...."  
  
"Don't worry. You're not kicking anything." Phillona said wiping the wound with the cotton.  
  
"...................................."  
  
"I am sorry for taking this long. I had to fight a few monsters on my way back. The Remedy was really far off..."  
  
"....................................."  
  
"Don't look so stern. I am not gonna kill you..." She said pouring the contents of another bottle into the bowl she had brought. She then touched his neck. It was burning hot.  
  
Avatar snickered from outside the window, "Don't take Sifan's sober look too serious. It's jus that ol' Sifan isn't used to pretty girls touching him like that...."  
  
Sifan wished his arm were all right so he could chuck one of the bottles at Avatar's grinning face.  
  
Phillona smiled as she applied the contents of the bowl on his hand. It burnt so badly, Sifan wished he were dead.  
  
"It'll just burn a little for a while..." Phillona said walking to the sink and washing her hands.  
  
[Little? you call that little...?]  
  
Phillona removed the bandage from its coil and began to wrap it around Sifan's left arm when Sifan cleared his throat, "Ahem...uh...maybe you can let Avatar do that..."  
  
"See..." Avatar's voice came at once, "I told you he isn't used to pretty girls touching him like that."  
  
"AVATAR!" Sifan shouted, "JUST BECAUSE YOU CANT FIND ANY GIRLS TO CHASE AT 3 O CLOCK IN THE MORNING, DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN SIT HERE AND PASS COMMENTS LIKE THAT..."  
  
"Hey wow!" Avatar said, "I think you're better already, buddy!"  
  
Phillona laughed, completing the bandage around Sifan's arm. She then pulled a bed cover over him, "Sleep well and sleep long. You're gonna need it."  
  
"Aw...aint that sweet..." Avatar said as Phillona walked to the door after switching off the light.  
  
[Ok...If I am right, now he'll go flirt his head off with Phillona...]  
  
Avatar's shadow disappeared as soon as Phillona closed the door from the outside.  
  
[Bingo.]  
  
Sifan heaved a sigh of relief. He wanted to sleep at once, but his thoughts barged into his mind rudely.  
  
[Where the hell am I? Am I really.... in another dimension? In another world? At the beginning, I thought it was all one big nightmare. But unfortunately, everything so far has been so real. The pain is till in my arm. The fatigue still makes my head ache. Maybe if I get out of here and explore this 'world', I'll recognize people or places and get back to balamb.]  
  
Suddenly, out of the blue, a feminine voice started to ring in his head.  
  
{Sifan...}  
  
[Great. Now I am hearing voices...]  
  
{Listen, Sifan...}  
  
[C'mon. Iridium can't be THIS bad]  
  
Sifan opened his eyes and slightly raised his head. There was no one around. He reached over to a table nearby, with his right arm and drank the glass of water Phillona had placed earlier. He closed his eyes and pulled the cover over his eyes.  
  
[Let's just hope I don't hear the boogieman again...]  
  
Far away, beyond the plains of Midgar and the stretch of the Ocean's blue, deep under the snow of the northern continent, inside the temple of the ancients, an old man stood up and pulled a brown hood over his head.  
  
On a small diamond pedestal in front of him, the green HOLY materia glowed brightly.  
  
"He still hasn't accepted this world, Goshen. He's not ready.........." A voice from the materia said in a crystal clear tone.  
  
The old man nodded his head, "Then I'll wait till he is, Goddess Aeris."  
  



	12. CHAPTER 12

From the Author:  
  
A few of my friends kept pronouncing Sifan in all sorts of ways. This is the right way. SIFAN. The 'Si' as 'See'. The 'fa' like the 'fa' in the word 'far'. And of course, 'n' as 'n'. So it's basically See-fa-n...  
  
Keiara is pronounced like this. The 'kei' as 'key'. And the 'ara' like 'aura' without pronouncing the 'u' in 'aura'. So it's basically pronounced as Key-ara.  
  
Oh well...On with the story then...  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Chapter 12  
  
"It's a gun..."  
  
"Uh-uh. It's a sword..."  
  
"It's a gun, you idiot! Can't you see the trigger?"  
  
"It's a sword, you dumbo! Can't you see the blade?"  
  
"Well, then it's a gunsword."  
  
"No, It's a swordgun."  
  
[Ugh...It's morning?]  
  
"Hey, look! Uncle Sifan is waking up..."  
  
"No, he's not. Uncle Sifan is still asleep."  
  
[UNCLE Sifan? How old am I?]  
  
"He is, you idiot! Can't you see he's moving?"  
  
"He's not, you dumbo! Can't you see his eyes are closed?"  
  
Sifan gradually opened his eyes, as the morning light trickled in through window. A couple of children were near his bed. One of them looked like she was six years old and the other was her brother, a year older. The girl smiled to see Sifan's eyes open.  
  
"See...I told ya...He IS awake. And I bet that's a swordgun." She said pointing to Sifan's gunblade resting against the wall.  
  
"Is NOT!" The boy retorted, sticking his tongue out at the girl.  
  
The door creaked open as Phillona Strife walked in to the room to find the two children quarrelling with each other, near Sifan's bed. Sifan Leonhart was wide-awake now.  
  
Phillona sighed, "I thought I told you two to be quiet."  
  
The girl pointed an accusing finger at her brother, "HE started it."  
  
The boy could see Phillona was not pleased. Quickly he said, "Last one out is a icky-wicky SPIDER"  
  
He hurried out, followed by his sister who didn't want to be the 'Icky- wicky spider' either.  
  
Sifan yawned, "Those two make great human alarm-clocks..."  
  
"They wanted to see you." Phillona said walking to his bed.  
  
[Yeesh, gimme a break. What am I? Some sort of a tourist attraction? Step right up, people. The 18-year old boy, warped from another planet. Only on display at Mideel.]  
  
She sat down near him, and began to loosen the bandage, which was stained with dry blood, "How are you feeling?"  
  
"Fine."  
  
"You slept well, didn't you?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Didn't wake up in the middle, right?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Master of the monosyllables, huh?  
  
"Yes."  
  
She smiled as she removed the last winding of the bandage. There was nothing on the skin except a scar. She placed her hand on his neck. Sensing no heat, she said, "Yeah...you're ok. Your hand should feel numb and hurt a little. But it'll be better once you start using it..."  
  
Sifan got up and swung his arm around. He felt no sensation at first but soon warmth started to surface on his arm. Sifan was a little amazed. He had seen Dr. Kodawaki take care of a lot of students with all sorts of wounds, but he had never seen her treat a gunshot overnight.  
  
"Surprised?" Phillona said, "The medicine was.......... uh..........the Certunian bat's....... you know..."  
  
[Don't tell me........]  
  
Avatar walked in, a huge grin appeared on his face when he saw Sifan on his feet, "Hey WOW! The bat crap worked!"  
  
Phillona smiled sheepishly, "Hey, he's a huge guy and he's tough to beat, ok? Besides, his.........uh........ Stuff is really effective."  
  
Avatar came over and slapped Sifan's arm hard. The numbness disappeared and Sifan felt his arm hurt from Avatar's slap.  
  
"Hey..." Sifan said, "I think you did it buddy. It feels prefect now...."  
  
He removed the gunblade from its sheath and swung it with his left arm. It was in perfect form. He sheathed his gunblade after binding its holder to his side.  
  
"Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes." Phillona said walking to the door, "Just come over to the cottage near the water tower."  
  
"You got it, gorgeous..." Avatar said, as Phillona left the room.  
  
"So........" Avatar said turning to Sifan, "how did pretty boy sleep last night...?"  
  
[If I tell him about the voice, he'll probably make a joke out of that too...]  
  
"Yeah. I slept well." He said washing his face in the sink. He looked up at the mirror. Sifan Leonhart never took even a minute to look at his face. That day however, he just stood there looking. If he had a lighter shade of brown hair, a bead on his ear, steel blue eyes, and a scar stretching down from his brow between his eyes, the mirror would show Squall Leonhart. He sighed, turning away from the mirror.  
  
[I wonder what they think happened to me.]  
  
Avatar looked at him, "Boy, you need a haircut..."  
  
"Don't even THINK about it." Sifan replied at once.  
  
He remembered the episode clearly. Eight years ago, a few weeks after Avatar had come to live with the Leonharts; Avatar had said that Sifan needed a haircut. Sifan had naively replied that he definitely needed one. That night, Avatar sneaked into Rinoa's room and had taken her dressing scissors. The next morning Sifan had found his hair snipped and sheared into a mess that looked like a Marlboro's tentacles.  
  
"You remember, dontcha?" Avatar said putting his arm around Sifan's neck, "I always wanted to be a hair-dresser...your head of course, was my training ground."  
  
"You did the same thing the next year, didn't you?" Sifan said recalling his past.  
  
Avatar beamed, "Yup.... Boy, was that fun! Just as much fun as my life in Fishermen's horizon."  
  
"Avatar was once an orphan who had lived in a place called Fisherman's Horizon. Strangely, he doesn't seem to remember anything about his past before Fisherman's horizon. Anyway, Avatar Fenis, as early as ten, made a living by working for a gang of thieves in Fishermen's Horizon. They fed him and gave him a place to live. Avatar's talent at jumping across rooftops, trees, and ships with tremendous agility boosted his chances at thievery. He used to pilfer food, money and valuables from shopkeepers, travelers, citizens, passers-by, merchants and everyone else who walked the streets of Fisherman's horizon. Before they could blink an eye, Avatar was already off on a far-away tree or a roof. One day, however, even with all his expertise, Avatar was caught. He tried to make off with some money from a man who was paying a shopkeeper. He swung down from a rooftop with a rope, grabbed the money and tried to run for it. But the man behind him had cast a float spell on him, leaving him helplessly bobbing in the air. The law authorities in Fisherman's Horizon had wanted to get their hands on Avatar, but the man didn't turn him in. Instead, he took Avatar home and enrolled him in a military academy know as balamb garden. This man's name was Squall Leonhart, Sifan Leonhart's father. So I guess both Sifan and Avatar are more or less like brothers. Both of them trained in this 'garden' till now and after passing a field examination, they had become SeeDs, mercenaries trained in all forms of combat. When they were returning from a party on their graduation night, the entire incident of the airship and the turbo-wrap thing happened as he told me last night. I don't know if I buy the story Avatar told me last night about the inter-dimensional warp. But I have read about such things in a few science magazines Ricardo used to read."  
  
Phillona stretched her arm, the pen between her fingers. No matter what happened, the first person Phillona told everything to, was her diary. Avatar had told his entire story the previous night. She had hardly seemed to ask but Avatar's talkative nature seemed to be at its crest.  
  
Marlene's voice soon called from outside, "Phillona! Food's ready. Get the boys in here will you? The two new ones also..."  
  
"They'll be here soon." She shouted a reply, "I heard Avatar's stomach rumble..."  
  
Sifan and Avatar walked out of the medical room, both their stomachs grunting and growling. The sun was already up and though the sky was cloudy, Mideel looked bright and bustling with activity; contrary to what they had seen the previous night.  
  
Avatar's eyes fell on the well, "Hey, Sifan. You know what's in that well?"  
  
"No..." Sifan said, "The last time I tried to look, I had a sniper rifle aimed at my chest, remember?"  
  
"It's life stream." Avatar said.  
  
Sifan looked inside. There was a radiant liquid, which constantly changed its shade from one bright color to another. Sifan's eyes tickled as it shimmered brightly making the walls of the well look like a kaleidoscope.  
  
The previous night, Phillona had told Avatar about the life stream and the reasons why Shin-Ra were after it. Avatar passed the information to Sifan as both of them walked towards the water tower from the well.  
  
"So...these Shin-Ra guys are operating underground, constructing all sorts of armors and weapons.... And they need this mako or whatever energy from the life stream for their purpose................" Sifan said, "I don't know about you, buddy, but I don't think we got warped to the land of milk and honey..."  
  
"Well, I still can't believe we are out of our world." Avatar said waving to Trex at the other end of the village.  
  
"Neither can I..." Sifan said as Avatar opened the door of the cottage where breakfast was being served.  
  
"Burp..." came the sound from Avatar's mouth, as he exclaimed "the food here is just outta this world!"  
  
[Geez. Somehow... 'Out of this world' doesn't sound so soothing.']  
  
Trex grinned, "Marlene's cooking's the best...most of the time, at least..."  
  
Ricardo snickered, "Yeah. Once when she tried this new dish-"  
  
A glare from Marlene silenced him.  
  
"Uh. Pass the ketchup, please..." He said, forgetting what he wanted to say.  
  
"Hey, where's Phillona?" Avatar said stuffing the last sandwich into his mouth, "ishnt fhe hungwy?"  
  
Sifan sighed.  
  
[Leave it to Avatar to make a fool of himself.]  
  
"Hey, Fheefaan, thi stuph iph goodh." Avatar said, the sandwich still ballooned in his mouth.  
  
Ricardo remembered Trex had promised to show him how to ride a chocobo. He hurried outside after excusing himself, almost bumping into Phillona on his way out.  
  
Phillona walked into the room and took a chair near Sifan quietly, after smiling at him as usual.  
  
[Why can't she sit somewhere else? And does she ALWAYS have to smile like that?]  
  
Avatar leaned back on his chair, "SO...where are your parents living...?"  
  
The air suddenly went mute. Phillona didn't look up from her plate as Marlene's smile faded away.  
  
"Um...Something I said...?" Avatar said, feeling his question didn't quite strike a cheerful note.  
  
"They're dead..." Marlene said, a restrained look on her face.  
  
"I-I am sorry..." Avatar said, "I really am...."  
  
"It's ok...." Marlene replied, "You didn't know..."  
  
"Ok. Then who was that spiky-headed dude back in that photo in the medical room?"  
  
Sifan felt like knocking Avatar's head off. Earlier, Avatar himself had looked at the picture and had said, "They must be Phillona's parents."  
  
Avatar realized it a second too late. He scratched his head, "Uh. I'll get some fresh air..." Avatar disappeared in a jiffy, through the door. Marlene excused herself and went away to wash the dishes. Phillona sat on her chair, still not looking away from the plate. She was quite troubled by Avatar's first question about her parents. To top it, he had followed it with another inappropriate one.  
  
Sifan unexpectedly found himself under the obligation of apologizing on behalf of Avatar.  
  
Sifan cleared his throat, "Ahem.... Avatar speaks his head off without thinking a lot of times...I apologize if he hurt you..."  
  
[That was rather blunt, but hey...I don't do stuff like this.]  
  
To his amazement, Phillona looked up and smiled, "You know, you were talking to me in monosyllables some time back in the medical room. Now, you actually spoke a whole sentence. You really don't talk unless you have to, do you?"  
  
[Very funny.]  
  
"Warbling unnecessary stuff at the unnecessary time is Avatar's line of work, not mine."  
  
"You're cute.........." she said standing up, "Catch you later..." She cleared the table and went away to help Marlene with the dishes.  
  
[C-Cute? I am trying to be a gentleman and she calls me, 'cute'...]  
  
Sifan walked out of the door to see Avatar standing against the wall, his arms folded.  
  
"Warbling unnecessary stuff at the unnecessary time is Avatar's line of work, not mine." He said in a sneering tone, "What are you trying to do, impress her?"  
  
"Oh please, that's your line of work too." Sifan said.  
  
"Wise guy, ain't ya?" He said punching him playfully, "So...are we gonna sit around all day or are we going to get our asses back to balamb?"  
  
"Aren't we forgetting something...?"  
  
"Relafen?"  
  
"Yup. I wonder where he is...?"  
  
"Probably in a nearby town or village bullying some kids..." Avatar said.  
  
"We better go exploring..."  
  
"Actually..." Avatar said, "Phillona said a friend of her father lives in some place called Costa-de-sol. Some scientist. She says he used to do experiments on time-travel and you know, all that crap..."  
  
"Well, how do we go there?"  
  
"Ship..."  
  
"Where's the port?"  
  
"Phillona will take us..." Avatar said as he and Sifan walked to an item shop near the medical room.  
  
"Why her...?" Sifan said, after asking the shopkeeper for a few potions, some phoenix downs and a remedy, "Can't she just give us directions?"  
  
"Why?" Avatar said puzzled as Sifan paid the shopkeeper, "I know you have a problem with girls and all that. But Phillona's different from the rest of them."  
  
"They're all the same, Avatar."  
  
"Oh yeah, the junction system aint gonna work. Take a look at your spells."  
  
"What!?" Sifan asked, finding no magic spells junctioned to him, "What happened to all our spells?"  
  
"It worked last night, but that's about it...." Avatar said, "Disappeared this morning. I can't draw or junction anything from anyone. Bottom line is............. no junction system in this world."  
  
"Great. That means we..." Sifan sighed.  
  
"That means we need Phillona to teach us materia magic. We studied all about it last year. But we're still gonna need some assistance if we wanna survive out there..."  
  
"Your items, sir?" The boy at the counter said.  
  
"Thanks." Sifan said and kept the items in his pocket. His coat was battered and full of Scratches from the previous night.  
  
Avatar looked at Sifan and nodded his head, "We better find you a change of outfit once we get to Costa-de-sol."  
  
Sifan agreed, "Yeah but Can't Trex come with us instead of Phillona? Or Marlene..."  
  
Avatar was annoyed with Sifan's aversion to Phillona, "You're irritating me. I am going to go meet her and also get my sword. We'll leave in ten minutes. You better be out of your Phillona-Phobia by then."  
  
Sifan placed his hand on his head, as he leaned against the wall near the shadows of the item shop's roof. He watched his friend head towards Phillona's Cabin.  
  
He heaved a sigh. Once, again the same voice that had talked to him the previous night rose in his head.  
  
{You want to murder the part of you that's starting to like Phillona, don't you?}  
  
[W-What? I-I am going bananas...that voice again...]  
  
{Sigh, That's the problem with you, you don't accept things as they are. Like the way, your father right now is not accepting his son died from the Ragnarok accident...}  
  
[M-My father? H-Hey............H-How did you...............Who the hell are you?]  
  
{............................}  
  
[Answer me, Dammit!]  
  
The screeching of eagles circling high in the air was the only response Sifan Leonhart received.  
  



	13. CHAPTER 13

Chapter 13  
  
"Squall..." Rinoa Leonhart's voice whispered, "It's 3 'o clock in the morning. You're still awake..."  
  
Squall Leonhart turned to his wife lying down near him. His face was one that had been recently stripped away of all emotions.  
  
"Rinoa...S-Sifan, h-he...." He choked to say the words, the night feeling colder than usual.  
  
Squall was getting ready to visit his son the morning after the party in Esthar, when a soldier brought the report of the Ragnarok found destroyed, in the middle of the ocean. They had searched but had found no one. Not even the pilot.  
  
Shocked, Squall had walked into the bedroom. When Rinoa had asked him whether there was a problem, he had just looked at her with an inexpressive look on his face. And then he had told her slowly. Rinoa had broken into tears on Squall's shoulder, but Squall hadn't. He was still under the alarm and the shock from the news. All of a sudden, when Rinoa answered a call on the phone with Laguna, he had rushed out of his room and out of Esthar, on foot.  
  
Later, after attending a few phone calls pertaining to the incident, she found Squall on the Esthar plains. Lionheart in his hand, he had sat on the deserted Railway platform at Esthar's entrance. She had hugged him with tears in her eyes, not because she found him, but because around Squall Leonhart, were seven iron-giants and ten hexa-dragons, all dead.  
  
"Hey, Are you ok?" Phillona said seeing Sifan hold his head with his hand. She had to bow in order to see Sifan's eyes, which were staring at the ground.  
  
"I am fine." Sifan said bluntly, "Where's Avatar?"  
  
"He's sharpening his sword at the blacksmith's place."  
  
"................................"  
  
"Avatar said you weren't quite happy with me coming along."  
  
"................................"  
  
[I am not. You have a problem with that?]  
  
"So I-I decided. Just to take you guys to the port. I am not coming to Costa-de-sol."  
  
Her voice wasn't too nice or normal. He had hurt her. He knew it and somehow, Sifan didn't feel too proud. Worse yet, he realized he hadn't felt anything when he had ditched the SeeD girl Avatar had set up for him the previous at garden, but now a small feeling of guilt was pricking his conscience.  
  
"I didn't say anything. A-Avatar's lying........." he blurted out suddenly.  
  
[What's WRONG with me!? I should've been saying, "yeah, I am not happy with you coming along, thanks for NOT coming to Costa-de-sol"]  
  
"I don't think so..." Phillona said strapping on the gloves she had brought, "He was pretty serious..."  
  
"..............................."  
  
"Let me give you a piece of advice, Sifan...." She said turning away from him, "If you don't like someone, be confident about it."  
  
She walked away, without saying a word or smiling. Sifan watched her leave to the village entrance to wait for Avatar to arrive.  
  
He stood, unmoving.  
  
{You're pathetic...}  
  
Sifan pretended he didn't hear the voice.  
  
Seifer Almasy marched in to the balamb garden headmaster's office, his trench coat fluttering behind him, the Hyperion hanging by his side. Xu saw him coming, but didn't try to stop him. The headmaster was on the phone, but he hung up, the moment he saw Seifer throw open the door.  
  
The flame-haired Galbadian General's jaw was tighter than usual. His blue eyes were firm and his face was anything but pleasant. He stopped in front of the headmaster's table and slammed his fist on it, sending papers and documents flying.  
  
Headmaster Ronan rose from his chair, "Mr. ALAMSY! You think you can just WALK in here like THAT-". He stopped, Seifer's Hyperion stood right between his eyes.  
  
"Where's my son, you filthy animal?" Seifer snapped.  
  
"N-Now Relax Mr. Almasy...w-we."  
  
"We what?" he said gritting his teeth, his finger on the trigger.  
  
"W-we're sorry, but-"  
  
The Hyperion's tip slid down to his neck, "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't cut your head off, Ronan? You and your coyotes sit here all day and plan how to sell this garden and everything in it, and make your stinking lives better. To top that, you can't even ensure that the airship carrying your students reaches this place safely. MY SON was in THAT AIRSHIP you Son of a-"  
  
"L-look...the party and everything was Squall's idea, ok? Not mine, h-he took r-responsibility for R-Relafen-" the headmaster warbled.  
  
Seifer flipped the safety off when he heard his son's name.  
  
"That's enough, Seifer..." Squall Leonhart's voice thundered behind him, "Leave that moron out of this..."  
  
The headmaster seemed to care the least about being called a moron, under Seifer's gunblade, "Squall! Thank God-".  
  
Seifer lowered his gunblade and turned to the man who had 'taken responsibility for Relafen' as the headmaster ran to his toilet and locked himself in.  
  
Seifer walked up to Squall. They stared at each other, their scars reminding them of the rivalry that had sprung up between them, 20 years ago, on that very garden where they stood. Now, both of them had their own positions in life.  
  
"20 years...ain't it Leonhart?"  
  
"......................."  
  
"20 years of WATCHING MY SON GROW!" He screamed, "All THAT RIPPED AWAY........."  
  
"......................"  
  
"...............in one night?" he said, his voice becoming shaky. And for the first time in his life, Squall Leonhart saw Seifer Almasy cry.  
  
"So...." Avatar said, "We split in each direction from here onwards?"  
  
"Yeah........" Phillona said, "Both of you have a Gysahl green each, don't you?"  
  
"Yeah..." Avatar replied, "But are you sure we need to go separate ways just to catch a damn chocobo...It's hot out here, you know..."  
  
"Your choice, really..." Phillona said, "There are chocobo tracks, a little away, north, east, and west of here. If you wanna stay together and just go to one place, you'll end up catching a chocobo by tomorrow..."  
  
[She's trying to playing Miss. Sarcastic, isn't she?"]  
  
"Or...." Phillona continued, "We could split up and one of us will surely find a chocobo in around half hour...it's up to you."  
  
"Ok...then what?" Avatar said looking at his Gysahl green, "Three of us on one chocobo?"  
  
"No. I've been doing this for a while. So I'll surely catch one." Phillona said, "Either you or Mr. I-hate-the-opposite-sex will catch another one..."  
  
Avatar snickered at Phillona's reference to Sifan, "So...Me and Mr. Zombie will share one...while you take the other?"  
  
[They just love picking on me, don't they?]  
  
"Yeah" Phillona said, "I 'll take north. It's the hardest. West is moderate. East is easy."  
  
"I'll take east..." Sifan said immediately, "I hate chasing big yellow birds."  
  
"You remember what I told you about catching chocobos right?" Phillona said not turning once to Sifan, "And also how to use the materia Marlene and Trex gave you?"  
  
"Yeah..." Avatar said, "Don't worry. We've read all about that stuff in garden".  
  
"So, We'll meet here in half hour, with or without chocobo." She said. Avatar nodded, waved goodbye and ran away to the west.  
  
Sifan sighed and looked to the east lazily. He turned his head and watched Phillona walk away to the north.  
  
[Boy, she's mad at me alright. Cool...]  
  
"Hey..." Phillona said turning around, "Best of luck, handsome." She winked at him and ran away to the north, smiling to herself.  
  
[I HATE HER..........................don't I?]  
  
Deep, inside the temple of the ancients, the voice from the HOLY materia spoke to the hooded old man.  
  
"It pains me Goshen. Squall Leonhart and his wife, drowning in angst."  
  
"Of course, Goddess Aeris. Sifan was their pride."  
  
"I do not intend on making them suffer anymore."  
  
"What is your will, your majesty?"  
  
"In Squall Leonhart's world, a girl lives by the name of Ellone, with the power of the eye of Cervantus."  
  
"The power to see all?"  
  
"Yes, but being human, she can only embrace a small fraction of its power."  
  
"Perhaps, I ll never understand why his majesty, Lord Cervantus chooses a human in every world to give the eye of Cervantus to."  
  
"Neither will I, Goshen, but hear this."  
  
"Yes, O Ancient one."  
  
"Through the eye of Cervantus in the girl called Ellone, I will show Squall Leonhart a glimpse of his son's face, so that he shall know Sifan lives. That he is alive, but not in his world. So that Squall shall not pass his days in sorrow. After all, the Warrior who was chosen to slay Ultimecia doesn't deserve such pain."  
  
"Pardon my curiosity Goddess, but why not the same warrior to slay 'him'?"  
  
"They are chosen only once Goshen, only once."  
  
"So, be it, your majesty, but Sifan Leonhart has still not accepted the path he has been brought to."  
  
"Yes Goshen, as we speak, he is looking for a way to return to his world..."  
  
"And that shall not come to pass unless you wish it so."  
  
"True. You don't have faith in Sifan Leonhart, do you Goshen?"  
  
"I'll admit it is so, your majesty, I do feel he is untested and untried."  
  
"The choice of Destiny is never wrong, Goshen. I will aid its cause."  
  
"But Goddess Aeris, when you first aided the last chosen one, Cloud Strife, you were............."  
  
"...............I was killed. I know, Goshen. But I have to fulfill the purpose my spirit didn't die with my body at this very place. Even if it means, he will kill me again for the very last time..........."  
  



	14. CHAPTER 14

From the Author: Ok guys. Sorry for the long break. But my computer crashed. And well I was jumpstarting it for the next two weeks. Well I am back. Please keep the reviews coming, also. I am planning to let you guys choose the direction of the plot by letting you guys make major decisions in the story. So just tell me whether you guys want that or not (interactive fanfic). If I get enough reviews in favor of the interactive fanfic, then I'll post further details as to how to go about it. Keep the reviews flowing. And I ll keep the chapters flowing.   
  
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Chapter 14  
  
The sun was high in the sky and beads of sweat trickled down Sifan Leonhart's brow as he stood scratching his head in front of the Y-shaped chocobo tracks. He removed the Gysahl green from his pocket and put it on the tracks. Looking around, he saw a bush that was big enough to hide behind. Crouching behind the green bush, he waited impatiently for any warking sounds that might fill the air.  
  
He absent-mindedly hummed the tune the garden band had played the previous night at the SeeD graduation ball. Somehow, it had found its way into his head. He rubbed his eyes and looked over the bush. There was still no sign of anything that looked like a chocobo. Grabbing a chocobo and getting to the port as fast as he could, was all he cared about. Lady luck, however seemed to have other incongruous ideas. As he lay waiting, a strange feeling sank into him making him feel that he was going to stay in his new world for a very long time to come.  
  
[Somehow...I feel I may never get back to balamb.]  
  
{It's called basic instinct. It's usually right.}  
  
[Oh great, I am hallucinating again.]  
  
Sifan sighed. The last two times, all Sifan had to do was just ignore the voice and it would go away. He was about to do the same when the voice spoke again.  
  
{Don't try to get me out of your head, Sifan. Only I know you got here from balamb.]  
  
[W-What? How? Who are you?]  
  
{You can call me, Lyris}  
  
[Okay, Lyris............WHAT are you?]  
  
{A friend if trusted, a futile voice in the wind if ignored..}  
  
[Trust some voice that starts chatting out of the blue?]  
  
{Let's make a deal, then.}  
  
[What kind of deal?]  
  
{If I give you a chocobo now, will you listen to what I tell you tonight without doubt or distrust?}  
  
[Yeah. That's fine with me. So give me my chocobo.]  
  
{Look behind you, he's almost finished with your Gysahl green.}  
  
"Wark!"  
  
The chocobo seemed to be engrossed in the scrumptious Gysahl green just lying there under the tree, waiting to be eaten. He looked around a bit and pleased there weren't any competitors for his snack, moved closer to take a peck at it. But the instant he touched it, he heard a rustle of leaves in the tree above him. The next thing he knew, a human landed on his back with an excited cry.  
  
"Heeeeeeeee-Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaw" Avatar screamed in delight as the chocobo ran at full speed, trying to shake off the human on its back. He ran around in circles but Avatar's grip only tightened around the bird's neck. Realizing, running in circles wasn't of any help, the chocobo took off in a straight direction, heading towards a small ravine.  
  
"Whoa!" the young SeeD screamed as the bird headed straight to the opening "Hey! Watch out for that-"  
  
It was too late. The chocobo was too irritated with the human on its back to see where it was going. Soon, there was a dusty avalanche of mud and dust as both the chocobo and its rider fell in to the ravine and went skidding down a slope, which led straight into a hole.  
  
Avatar fell down with a thud out the other end of the hole into darkness. He got up and dusted himself. Sighing with frustration that it was too dark to see anything, he groped about aimlessly till his hands felt the soft feathers of his chocobo that had fallen in along with him.  
  
"Great. Look what you got us into..." the SeeD muttered. The whole place smelt like damp mud. The ground was, however, hard as he walked on with his arms stretched out, still unable to see anything. The only sound that echoed was that of the chocobo following him.  
  
"You know, if you had liked me a little while ago instead of now, we wouldn't have gotten here." he mumbled still seeing only obscurity in front of him.  
  
"Ow!" Avatar cried as he tripped on something and fell down, his chin hitting the ground. Frustrated, he got up and kicked the object that had made him fall. He heard something move with a little creak when suddenly, the wall to his side moved with a grinding noise revealing a small, dim-lit chamber with bluish rays of sunlight seeping in through holes in the decomposed ceiling. Most of it was covered with moss and all sorts of plant life. He slowly walked in, the smell of the place making his head feel funny. The chocobo warked and followed him in to the chamber.  
  
Avatar made his way to the middle of the room, breaking the cobwebs in his way, "Man, this place is ancient."  
  
A small pedestal stood in front of him, twined by the green stems of climber plants. On its surface was a fissure the size of a small coin. Under the hole, were imprinted the words, "The penalty of fabricated Fenis rings is DEATH"  
  
"F-Fenis..." Avatar gasped, "That's my father's name..."  
  
He closed his eyes, "Nah. Just a co-incidence. I bet there are plenty of other Fenises in this world."  
  
He saw a ray of sunlight fall on the ring on his left index finger. He swallowed hard. He knew he had it since his younger days, but he never knew how it had got there. He had always thought his father had given it to him. But then again, he never knew his father. His past had all the time been shadowy as far as his earliest days were concerned. But the only past Avatar cared about was his days with Sifan in balamb. Nothing else mattered.  
  
A puzzled Avatar stood in front of the pedestal. He removed the ring from his finger and on its underside was an 'F' engraved on it, making it all the more apparent that he had a Fenis ring or something like it.  
  
"Should I try something?" he wondered putting the ring back on his finger. His eyes widened further when he saw the fissure on the pedestal was of the same dimension as his ring.  
  
He looked at his chocobo, which was pulling a plant growing in a corner, and sighed, "Ugh, you never know, if I have the REAL Fenis ring, maybe I can get outta here."  
  
He brought his ring near the fissure, but before he could insert it, the inscription began to glow in a vivid green. All of a sudden, the wall at the side of the room shattered with a loud collapsing noise. Avatar spun around, his eyes falling on the outline of a darkened figure near the wall. It punched the remains of the semi-shattered wall to the ground, causing stones and dust to fly in Avatar's direction. The darkened figure leapt out and landed in front of Avatar. He was fully clad in pitch black. His face was wrapped in a black cloak and only his eyes were seen. Long locks of gray hair stretched down the sides of his face and his brow. He reached for his back and unsheathed a long sword, twice the size and length of Avatar's katana. The figure raised his blade to Avatar. His eyes began to glow red. Blood red.  
  
"Er............." Avatar garbled, "I was just wondering if-"  
  
"ENOUGH!" the shadowy figure shouted in a rumbling voice, "How long will you mortals try and steal the Fenis Guardians' power?"  
  
Avatar was paralyzed with terror, "Ugh! I...........uh...........don't want any guardian-"  
  
"SILENCE!" he thundered, "My purpose is to slay fools who bring their own false rings to try and summon the Fenis guardians."  
  
"Hey, I-I am sure w-we could work this out. I crashed in here, and if you could j-just show me t-the way o-outta h-here, w-we can f-forget-"  
  
"Your stories are of no avail." He said pointing his sword to a corner where a pile of human skulls lay, "Neither was theirs."  
  
"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Sifan Leonhart leapt out from behind the bush, upsetting the chocobo that was peacefully enjoying its Gysahl green.  
  
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARK!"  
  
[Uh-oh]  
  
Soon, the aggravated, scared and angry chocobo was chasing Sifan Leonhart all across the green plains.  
  
"Hey!" Sifan said, running as fast as his feet could carry him, "You guys are supposed to be nice and quiet."  
  
The chocobo made another rampant wark, swinging its beak and missing Sifan by inches. Sifan then suddenly halted and spun around, drawing his gunblade, "You dim-witted bird! How dare you chase the almighty Sifan Leonhart!"  
  
The chocobo was least intimidated by 'the almighty' Sifan or his gunblade. The Chocobo's stiff pecks on Sifan's head made him feel woozy, and he fell down on the ground, his head spinning. Happy that it had taught Sifan a lesson, the chocobo ran away looking for greener grass.  
  
[Of all the chocobos in this world, why that one?]  
  
{You scared him.}  
  
[Miss. Lyris, Couldn't you have given me a nicer chocobo?]  
  
{Hey, even the nicest ones get scared if you jumped in front of them like Tarzan or Conan the barbarian.]  
  
[Watch it with the references.]  
  
{Sifan Leonhart aka Mr. I-hate-the-opposite-sex aka the Zombie aka-"}  
  
[Put a lid on it already. You're sounding like Phillona and Avatar rolled into one.]  
  
{Phillona? Why did you bring her name up? Missing her already?}  
  
[You're turning out to be more talkative than I thought.]  
  
{You don't like it when I bring her name up, do you?}  
  
[No, I don't.]  
  
{You know the reason?}  
  
[No. I don't want to know, either.]  
  
{It's because, when you look in to those eyes, something inside starts stirring, doesn't it?}  
  
[Leave me alone and go away.]  
  
{Pull the right string and voila! You get the 'Leave me alone and go away' treatment.}  
  
[You didn't pull anything. Now get lost.]  
  
{Shout out you have no feelings for Phillona and I will go away.}  
  
[I have no feelings for Phillona. There. Now scram.]  
  
{I told you to shout it. Not think it.}  
  
"I DON'T LIKE ANY GODDAMN FEMALE, ESPECIALLY PHILLONA- "Sifan shouted loudly when he heard Lyris' voice in his head snicker.  
  
{Hee hee, look behind you, pretty boy.}  
  
A very irate Phillona Strife sat on a chocobo with an upset look on her face.  
  
[Oh crap.]  
  
"So............" She said, giving it another Gysahl green, "I can see you've been spending your time expressing your dislike for me instead of catching a chocobo."  
  
"Um...............I..........tried to c-catch one but uh............" Sifan stuttered.  
  
"I caught one for you, and tied it to a tree a little far away from here while you were telling the mountains and the trees that you don't like me."  
  
"Er..............thank you......." He said, doing his best not to look her in the eye.  
  
"Just share this chocobo with me for a few minutes till we get to the other one, ok?" she said moving in front of Sifan with her Chocobo, "I know you can't stand me, but I promised Avatar I'd help. Even if certain individuals loathed me."  
  
[I'll get Lyris for this.]  
  
"Don't just stand there." Phillona said moving closer to the chocobo's neck, "Climb on."  
  
Sifan sighed and climbed on to the chocobo's back and sat behind Phillona.  
  
"Comfortable?"  
  
"..............................."  
  
"I guess that means 'yes' in zombie vocabulary."  
  
"................................"  
  
The chocobo started to slowly run forward when Phillona stroked it under the chest with her arm. Sifan almost fell backwards and to avoid falling, he grabbed its wings. The chocobo warked in pain and stopped on its tracks.  
  
"Geez, Sifan. Don't kill the poor thing." Phillona said.  
  
"Sorry." Sifan replied.  
  
"You can............."  
  
"I can what?"  
  
"You can hold me if you want, so you don't fall off."  
  
"......................"  
  
"I am sorry, I should've know better than to tell YOU of all people to hold- "  
  
She stopped when Sifan enfolded his arms around her, "Don't get any ideas. I don't want to fall and that's it. Nothing more."  
  
She smiled to herself, and loosened his grip on her stomach; "Not so tight, handsome, I'll start getting ideas..............."  
  



	15. CHAPTER 15

Chapter 15  
  
After riding the chocobo for a few minutes, Sifan and Phillona stopped near the tree where Phillona had tied the other chocobo. Sifan was too busy thinking about home to notice that they had stopped and he still had his arms wrapped around Phillona.  
  
"Um, Sifan?" She said chuckling to herself, "We're here. I don't mind it but can you take your arms off me?"  
  
"Huh?" Sifan said snapping out of his thoughts and removing his hands quickly as if they had been burnt, "Er, right."  
  
He jumped down from the chocobo and yawned, stretching his arms. Phillona fed the other chocobo and rubbed its feathers. The weather was still warm but the trees they were standing under made it tolerable.  
  
"Where the hell is Avatar?" Sifan said, "Don't tell me he is as bad as me at catching chocobos."  
  
"Don't worry, Seef." Phillona replied, "I trust Avatar to get it right."  
  
[Seef?]  
  
"My name is Sifan. I don't want any petty short forms of it." He said trying to pluck an apple from the tree.  
  
"You and your cold shoulder." She replied, "I'll call you Seef, like it or not."  
  
Sifan sighed and munched the apple, "Whatever."  
  
Just then, they saw a figure of a chocobo on the plains approaching them. Avatar Fenis was seated on its back. He waved to them as the chocobo trotted towards them.  
  
"See, I told you Avatar would get it right." Phillona said, plucking the apple from Sifan and throwing it away, "Another bite of that apple and you would've been lying unconscious."  
  
"What?" Sifan said spitting out.  
  
"Shin-Ra poisoned a lot of trees near Mideel." She said sighing, "So they could at least try and poison us out of Mideel."  
  
"Talk about low down strategy." Sifan said groping his head, which was feeling a bit funny. Avatar brought his chocobo to a halt and jumped down to his feet. His usual relaxed look was missing. He was in some state of incomprehension, as he stood there, speechless.  
  
"Hey, cat got your tongue?" Phillona said loosening Sifan's chocobo from the tree, throwing Avatar a puzzled look, "Say something."  
  
"Uh...sorry...Just a bit tired... that's all..." he muttered as the three of them slowly trotted across the plains, gradually building up pace.  
  
"Can't these things go any faster?" Sifan said sleepily.  
  
"You can't handle him if he goes fast." Phillona said, "Unless you're an expert chocobo rider."  
  
"Yeah. Believe me buddy, ya can't..." Avatar said recalling how his chocobo had gone berserk when he had landed on it, an hour ago.  
  
After traveling for quite a distance, Sifan could see the outline of the ocean ahead of him. He heaved a sigh of relief as their chocobos ran towards the port, which was clearly visible on the horizon. It wasn't as big as Sifan had expected it to be. It was just an area of many peninsular- shaped footboards made of wood extending over the surface of the water. A ship was already docked there and its turbines were churning up the water. A few people stood on board with binoculars looking at the vast blue ocean. A few others arrived in chocobo carriages and made their way to the ship.  
  
The ticket master impatiently looked around and shouted, "FINAL CALL! Costa de sol! Tickets here please!"  
  
"Ok...." Phillona said as the three of them dismounted the chocobos, "Its gonna cost 200 gils for you two."  
  
Avatar looked at Sifan.  
  
"Don't look at me." Sifan said, "I am broke."  
  
Avatar smiled sheepishly at Phillona, "Uh, we don't have money."  
  
"I know." Phillona said taking out some money from her pocket, "I have some. You can use it."  
  
The three chocobos stood playfully pecking at each other as Phillona bought a couple of tickets from the ticket master. Both the SeeDs stood quietly, each of them lost in their own thoughts, when Phillona came up to them with the tickets.  
  
"Hey." She said, giving Avatar a ticket, "Cheer up. I am sure Prof. Hamilton will help you."  
  
She took out another small folded paper from her pocket. "I wrote this letter to the professor. Give it to him. My dad and he were close friends. He'll surely help you out. Nobody knows all that stuff about time-travel, dimensional stuff or whatever, like he does."  
  
Avatar took the letter from her and placed a kiss on her hand, "Thanks a lot, Madame!"  
  
She smiled, "Hey, no big deal. You're the one who saved Mideel from those Shin-Ra troops. That was the big thing. Not this."  
  
Avatar nodded, "Nice knowing you Phillona. Who knows, maybe we'll see each other again if the professor screws up."  
  
[Nobody's gonna screw up, we're going home.]  
  
{In your dreams.}  
  
[Damn you, Lyris.]  
  
After Avatar had said his goodbye, he waved the ticket to the ticket master and ran away, aboard the ship.  
  
Phillona took the other ticket and walked up to Sifan who was doing his best to look at the clouds and not Phillona.  
  
"Fine." She said placing the ticket in his coat pocket, "Goodbye."  
  
She walked past him and was about to climb on her chocobo when Sifan blurted out, "P-Phillona."  
  
"Yeah?" she said turning to him.  
  
"Er......................"  
  
"Want more money? I gave some to Avatar just in case of emergencies."  
  
"N-No." he said scratching his neck, "Uh....."  
  
{'Thank you' would be an appropriate thing. She saved your worthless butt last night.}  
  
"T-Thank you." He said looking at her, somehow, in the eye, "and sorry."  
  
She smiled and walked up to him, "Sorry for what?"  
  
"F-For............uh............ not liking you." He said as she watched him, her head tilted to the side a little bit and the smile still on her lips.  
  
[I am Pathetic.]  
  
{I Agree.}  
  
She stood in front of him silently for a few seconds. She raised her hand and brushed the strands of hair in front of his eyes to the side with her finger "Get a haircut. There are good hairdressers in Costa de sol. Expensive but good."  
  
"Uh, yeah." He said, "But I like my hair this way."  
  
"Well, it covers your eyes. They're beautiful."  
  
{She likes you.}  
  
[Shut up.]  
  
{But not as much as you like her anyway.}  
  
[I said shut up.]  
  
She laughed softly, "Good bye handsome."  
  
"Uh yeah." He said, "Bye."  
  
She nodded and walked away. Letting two of the chocobos go free, she climbed the third and trotted away as the young Leonhart made his way into the ship bounded for Costa de Sol.  
  
Shin-Ra labs would always be full of commotion with all of Shin-Ra's key scientists and computer geniuses running around the place the whole day. They would scamper from one cubicle to another on the sixth floor, exchanging information and everything they could dig out from the old Shin- Ra's database. But soon, they would stop their scurrying around and plop on their chairs; discouraged they couldn't go beyond a certain level of information on the semi-destroyed hard drive on Shin-Ra's old master computer. Even the best of them couldn't hack or crack anything at all. It was completely foolproof.  
  
Professor Lorenz was the most frustrated of them all. Two years and not a single raise. His colleagues of course always had their wallets thick and full because they would fish out information and make the president believe it would be useful. They were one of the contributory causes for Shin-Ra's secret underground Makotech and Magitek projects. They were the ones who had fished out the information for the project. Lorenz had helped out too but he was a 'small scientist'. Hence he didn't get any of the privileges the others did.  
  
And so there he sat, smoking his cigar in his room while others were out there with the computers and the gadgets, once again prying for information on Shin-Ra's old database.  
  
The door creaked open and General Rupert walked in, a gruff look on his face. He pulled a chair in front of Professor Lorenz's desk and sat down, sighing.  
  
"What's the matter, Rupert?" Prof. Lorenz said, "That dork of a prez is shoutin' at ya again?"  
  
".............................."  
  
"Thought so." He said puffing a ring of smoke into the air, "Anyway, that's yer problem. I called ya here coz I need a buncha your soldiers."  
  
General Rupert eyed him suspiciously, "What now?"  
  
"There's this twerp that goes by the name of Hamilton in Costa de sol."  
  
"Another scientist kidnapping, Lorenz? Count me out."  
  
"HEY!' professor Lorenz said sitting up straight in his chair, "You callin' me a kidnapper?"  
  
"Cool yer horses, Lorenz" the general snapped, "We all know you aint an angel."  
  
"Cut the crap, Rupert." the professor hissed, "Get me Hamilton, and I'll give you a part of the reward."  
  
"REWARD, Lorenz?" Rupert said, "How long are you gonna wait for this 'REWARD' of yours?"  
  
"Look. Hamilton's got the passwords for the highest classified info in Shin- Ra's old mother computer."  
  
"So ya want to bring him here and force him ta give you all those passwords. And you can fish out all the classified stuff."  
  
"Yeah. We'll get the stuff out to the president's table, and I'll get a big fat raise. And you get a part of the dough too."  
  
General Rupert sat back and thought for some time, "This is the last favor you're getting' if I don't get any benefits, Lorenz."  
  
"I want to come to Costa de sol with yer soldiers. While you bring Hamilton's ass back here to Midgar, I wanna take a look around Hamilton's house. They say he's working on some useful stuff."  
  
The general nodded, "I'll get an airship ready. We'll leave in ten minutes."  
  
The professor threw away the cigar as the general opened the door and left the room. He pulled a drawer from his desk and took out a small diary. It was ragged and most of the pages were torn and missing. A few of them were intact but the ink was snubbed out. Most of it was just useless scribbling on some failed projects. There was however, one page that interested him. He flipped the diary to that page and feasted his eyes on the writing that had kept him sleepless the whole of the previous night.  
  
On the tattered and moth-eaten page was written,  
  
'THE FOLLOWING IS WITH REFERENCE TO PROJECT Y567. PASSWORD 1 IS APOCALYPSE. PASSWORD 2 IS WITH HAMILTON. PASSWORD 3 IS ALSO WITH THAT LOSER BECAUSE THAT FOOL OF A PRESIDENT, RUFUS, TRUSTS HIM MORE THAN ME. BUT I DON'T NEED TO KNOW THE PASSWORDS BECAUSE PROJECT Y567 HAS BEEN OFFICIALLY CLOSED."  
  
It was signed, "Professor. Hojo."  
  
Professor Lorenz smiled slyly. He turned on his desktop computer. After going through an avalanche of passwords, he finally logged into the Shin-Ra database. The small blinking cursor awaited his input.  
  
Query?  
  
PROJECT Y567  
  
Password?  
  
  
  
Project Y567. Led by Professor Gast. Shut down after death of Prof. Gast. Re-opened later by Professor Hojo. Shut down after death of Prof. Hojo. Secured with 3 passwords due to nature of classification.  
  
Professor's Lorenz's eyes widened when the computer added one last line of information on the screen.  
  
Original name of project Y567: PROJECT JENOVA.  
  



	16. CHAPTER 16

Chapter 16  
  
Sifan Leonhart could hardly believe what he was hearing.  
  
"So..." he said, rubbing the back of his neck, "The black cloaked guy with red eyes said he'd kill you if you didn't insert your ring."  
  
"Y-yeah." Avatar said recalling the blood red color of the Fenis guardians' eyes, "So then, I inserted my ring on the pedestal and the next thing I knew, the whole place went bright and the guardian was on his knees bowing to me! The same guy who was threatening to chop my goddamn head off."  
  
"Uh-huh." Sifan nodded as the ship sailed in the middle of the ocean, "then what?"  
  
"So I am like, 'hey, what the hell is going on here?'" Avatar continued, "He doesn't say anything but stays bowed and then he says sorry a hundred times for being rude to me. Then he starts talking about me being some prince Fenis or something and he and another guardian existed to protect me. He said only I could summon them to this dimension. A lot of guys knew about this summoning stuff. So they devised their own rings like mine and tried to summon the Fenis guardians but only ended up dead, killed by that guy!"  
  
"Hey, Relax." Sifan said, heaving a sigh, "You sure you didn't hit your head somewhere?"  
  
"Uh-uh." Avatar nodded, "It was all there."  
  
"So then what did you do?"  
  
"Well, he said whether I wanted to finish the summoning process. I said no because I wanted to get my ass outta that place, pronto. I asked him the way out. He kicked down the frickin' wall for my exit! So I ran outta there as fast as I could. I ran into a Marlboro though. I tried to run away but it gave me a whip with its tentacles. It kinda made me bleed a little. And then there he was. The guardian."  
  
"Ok, so it was one dead Marlboro?"  
  
"Ugh. Yeah. He made a Marlboro salad with a smaller version of your father's lionheart limit break."  
  
"So you grabbed your chocobo and got the hell outta there." Sifan said leaning back on the one of the chairs they had found near captain's cabin, "Some ride you had, eh buddy?"  
  
"Yup." Avatar said, sighing loudly, "I don't know what the hell is going on either."  
  
A few sea gulls whirled around in the sky above the two SeeDs as they sat back on their chairs. The sun had sunk behind a few dark clouds and only the moist wind was blowing across the vast blue ocean. A tired Sifan faded off to sleep.  
  
However a rather confused Avatar sat thinking about the 'Prince Fenis' the Fenis Guardian had mentioned. He looked at his finger that was without the ring. He had left it in the pedestal. He tried to recall who had given him the ring but it was of no use. He never did remember anything before his life at fisherman's horizon. Even when he was a boy, he had always wanted to know but gradually he forgot about it and embraced the carefree life with Sifan in the Leonhart family. But now, the fact that the ring had caused so much of commotion as to summon legendary guardians who went by his surname, he couldn't help but think he belonged to a much greater heritage than a thief by the ocean at fisherman's horizon.  
  
"What the hell-" General Rupert hissed as a Shin-Ra soldier came sprawling and fell near his feet unconscious the moment he had arrived at the Shin-Ra camp.  
  
He looked in the direction from were the soldier had come and noticed another two soldiers in a fighting stance in front of a stranger. He looked no older than an young adult. His flame-colored hair was flying backwards in the wind as he swung his gunblade at another soldier who received it in his guts and fell down out cold. The other soldier backed off only to be scorched by a fire spell from his opponent.  
  
The boy threw his gunblade in the air and snatched it in mid-air with his other hand and sheathed, "That'll teach ya scumbags to mess with Relafen Almasy!"  
  
General Rupert was not very pleased with three of his soldiers losing to a sword-wielding teenager. Soon, the nearby on-looking Shin-Ra soldiers surrounded Relafen when Rupert barked at them to stop.  
  
"Leave the boy alone, ya cowards!" General Rupert scowled, "He took three of ya losers down, he deserves an applause."  
  
They all stood there dumbfounded, looking at their General.  
  
"I frickin' said...." Rupert continued, "HE DESERVES A GODDAMN APPLAUSE!"  
  
Strangely amused at their superior officer, the soldiers clapped loudly and a few of them whistled for the heck of it when Relafen interrupted.  
  
"I like all the fancy applause...." Relafen said looking at the three soldiers who he had taken down, "but those three guys were drunk. They picked a damn fight when I asked them for directions."  
  
Rupert eyed him quietly as he walked up to him. He knew the boy in front of him had a lot of potential and something inside Rupert told him he would make a great choice for the commander post in the Shin-Ra army.  
  
"Say son..." Rupert said putting an arm on Relafen's shoulders, "Why don't we go inside and have a little talk. You got great stuff inside ya, you know?"  
  
"Yeah well..." Relafen said brushing off the General's hand, "I am a SeeD. Whaddaya expect?"  
  
"Oh really?" The General said although he hadn't heard of anything called SeeD in his wildest dreams, "Well, We're lookin' for a commander to lead these fine soldiers..."  
  
"Fine soldiers, eh?" Relafen said sarcastically as they walked in to a camp and took their seats near a table containing a wine bottle and a few glasses.  
  
"You got tremendous potential."  
  
"Commander? Me? I am General Seifer's son. That's against Galbadia's army rules, aint it. Close relatives at high posts?"  
  
"General Seifer? Galbadia?" Rupert asked puzzled, "Son, this is a world where Shin-Ra rules. There's only Shin-Ra and nothin' else."  
  
"Wha-"Relafen said, emptying the contents of the wine bottle in to the glass, "Shin-Ra?"  
  
"You been under a rock for the last century?" The general said pouring his share of the wine, "There aint nothin' called SeeD or yer Galbadia or General Seifer. Me an' Keiara are the only Generals around here. Damn good ones too."  
  
"Shit, don't tell me." Relafen muttered thinking about the turbo-warp and the entire Ragnarok incident, "Don't tell me there aint nothin' called Esthar or Balamb."  
  
"Course not!" The general said gulping down the wine, "Jus' Midgar, Junon and the list goes on..."  
  
"Great." Relafen said and buried his head in his hands.  
  
"Hey, tell ya what?" The general said, "How would ya like to be commander of Shin-Ra? Ya'll have yer own airship, yer own troops, and clearance to most of Shin-Ra's privileges."  
  
"You're just offerin' me the job cause I nailed a buncha yer soldiers?" Relafen asked surprised although his head was aching from the thought that he wasn't in his own world.  
  
"Yeah. It's hard ta find men like ya. It's a chicken's world out there." The general said taking a draught directly from the wine bottle, "Wherever yer from, yer life there aint gonna be nothing compared to life as Shin- Ra's commander. Ow' about it?"  
  
"Sounds good." Relafen said leaning back on his chair and looking at the ragged leather ceiling of the camp in the Shin-Ra base, "When do I start?"  
  
He knew he wasn't going to go back to balamb. Even if he could, he wouldn't because this was a golden opportunity. He could become great like his father. Maybe General of the Army or some great leader. Relafen was fantasizing all these thoughts when the General interrupted him, "Well, there's something ya need to do first."  
  
"Name it." Relafen said running his gloved hand through his hair, "Nothin' I can't handle."  
  
The general's eyes shined as he spoke, "Well, there's this guy called Hamilton a little far away from Costa de Sol............"  
  
Selphie Kinneas wasn't just her spunky self. Neither was her husband, Irvine Kinneas, who stood with his hat pulled down over his brow. Quistis just stood at the side of the room, lost in thought. Zell punched the wall with gritted teeth as Rinoa stood holding Squall Leonhart's arm. The general of the Galbadian army, Seifer Almasy too stood at the extreme corner away from the rest, a firm-set jaw and empty eyes. He still hadn't told his wife anything. He stared bluntly at the wall in front of him.  
  
Ellone's room had never been so quiet in a hundred years. It had been an hour since Rinoa received a call from Ellone saying that she had seen Sifan and Avatar in her dreams through her powers. When they had arrived, they found Ellone unconscious. Esthar's best medics had immediately got to work on her but she showed no signs of consciousness. After a few minutes of checking her, they left after predicting she would be up in half hour and they had told them that she was in a minor temporary coma.  
  
Half an hour was over ten minutes ago, Leonhart." Seifer said slowly, "Your sister aint wakin' up."  
  
"................................"  
  
"Ugh." Came a small from the still figure of Ellone. Everybody stood up straight and looked at Ellone who slowly opened her eyes.  
  
A dry smile formed on her lips, "They're alive."  
  
Selphie was the first to erupt.  
  
"Woo-hoo! Sifoo's alive!" She yelped to Irvine, "Heard that Irvinee-poo?"  
  
"Yeah." Irvine nodded, "So is Avatar, it would be a shame to see the guy after my own heart go down without accomplishments."  
  
"Way to go man!" Zell said excitedly, "Those two dudes are a bunch of tough nuts ta crack, alright!"  
  
Rinoa hugged a very relieved Squall Leonhart. Squall gave his lips way for a faint smile but he turned back to Ellone, "Where are they?"  
  
Ellone drank the glass of water Quistis had given her, "Well, not here."  
  
"What the hell is that supposed ta mean?" Seifer said turning around.  
  
"T-They are somewhere else." Ellone said standing up, "I don't know where. It didn't look like our world at all."  
  
"What's going on here, then?" Quistis said, puzzled.  
  
Just then, the door behind them creaked open. A man in a weird dress-up and crooked spectacles walked in with a notepad with all sorts of calculations written on it. He smiled hurriedly at the small crowd and spoke in a weird accent, "I Zink I know Zee Anszer to what Zappened."  
  
"Yes, Dr. Odine." Squall said, "I think we'd all like to know too."  
  
"Very Well, Zhen." The scientist replied, "All follow Zee doctor to zee lab."  
  
Saying that he went away noting down a few points. Irvine and Selphie excused themselves and ran away behind Odine curious to know what he might have arrived at.  
  
Zell scratched his head, "Yeah, I think I'll check it out too man."  
  
He left straight away calling out to Irvine to wait for him. Rinoa kissed Squall on the cheek and left with Quistis to have a drink of water, now that she was sure of the fact Sifan was alive. Seifer quietly walked out of the room without saying a word.  
  
Squall was about to do the same when Ellone spoke, "Everybody would believe science than something supernatural, huh?"  
  
Squall nodded, "No, it's just that Odine believes they might have been teleported because he found something strange in his turbo warp device's behavior. You know, the one he recovered from the Ragnarok wreck. And now that you say my son isn't in this world, Odine's theory might as well be true. They'll take a shot and try hearing what he has to say."  
  
Ellone smiled, "There's more I know."  
  
"What?"  
  
"A voice spoke to me after I saw Sifan and Avatar on this ship."  
  
"What did it say?"  
  
"I-It said something about crossroads of destiny and all this was meant to happen."  
  
Squall groped his forehead, "Destiny? I don't like the sounds of that."  
  
"It was a female voice. She also said not to lose heart and to wait. They would return. We should be happy because they have been called Squall. She said your n-name. Sifan is called like you were called through compressed time to kill Ultimecia."  
  
"S-so...." Squall said slowly, "They'll come back after they d-do what they've been called to do."  
  
"Yes." Ellone replied, "We should only wait."  
  
"We'll wait, sis." Squall said, "As long as we know they're alive."  
  
"They are alive and well."  
  
Squall smiled at his sister and was about to turn away when Ellone spoke again, "S-Squall. A-Avatar..........He's starting to think of his past. The voice said he would discover everything."  
  
Squall Leonhart's steel blue eyes widened, "I did what was best for him, Ellone. You know that."  
  
"But how will he react when he finds out, Squall." Ellone said, her voice shaking a little bit, "Sifan and him are like brothers."  
  
"When he does find out, then................." Squall closed his eyes, "Sifan will lose a brother..............."  
  



	17. CHAPTER 17

Chapter 17  
  
The black mages waited surrounding a small pillar of light in the middle of the small chamber in the castle. The rocky walls bore the shadow of the figure of a woman who walked in accompanied by two of the castle guards. She dismissed them and walked to the center of the chamber and stood near one of the black mages. She wore a thick blood red robe that stretched till the ground. In her eyes, was a shine that could only be that of a sorceress. The mages bowed before her.  
  
"Is the summoning ready to begin?" she asked one of the black mages.  
  
"Yes your majesty."  
  
"Did you find the girl with the eye of Cervantus?"  
  
"Right behind you, my Queen."  
  
She turned around to see a couple of soldiers who were holding a girl. Her hair was in a mess and her face was filled with thin bloody streaks from torment. Her frail shadow fell on the castle walls as she looked at the Queen in front of her in disgust.  
  
"Now, now my dear." She said, "You have lived long enough."  
  
The girl didn't reply as the soldiers holding her dragged her forward towards the pillar of light. The Queen nodded to the soldiers. They pushed her inside the pillar of light. A sensation of dark magic filled the castle chamber as the girl screamed in pain, the pillar of light feeling like a thousand suns. Soon, she fell down on her knees and then on the ground, dead. The pillar of light flickered and a shadow rose from the girl's body and floated in the column of radiance.  
  
"You have killed the chosen one of Cervantus!" The shadow bellowed, "What do you want woman?"  
  
"I wish to speak with Cervantus." The queen replied.  
  
"It is I, Cervantus himself, the God of time."  
  
"Very well." The queen smiled, "I need your help. I need to embark a thousand years in the past."  
  
"For that, you would kill the one I bestowed with the power of my eye?"  
  
"Yes." The Queen replied, "If that is what is required to get your attention. You heard me, I want to go to that world."  
  
"Foolish mortal!" The shadow said, "You would truly think I would grant you your wish."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Even when you killed the chosen one of Cervantus?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
The shadow laughed, "Your wish will be the death of you, woman! I shall take thee to a floating castle far away from here, through compressed time a thousand years in the past as you wish."  
  
"And that'll be the death of me?"  
  
"Do you not Loathe SeeDs, woman? They exist only to slay your kind."  
  
"Every garden has already been bought by my power. Most of them are my soldiers. Only those pesky white SeeDs are a small problem. Those fools resist my rule over this planet. Swarming like locusts generation after generation. They disgust me."  
  
"What do you plan to do a thousand years in the past, woman?"  
  
"I am sick of this planet and its peasants living in this filthy ruin of a world. I wish to rule this world when it was young and beautiful, a thousand years in the past."  
  
"You belong to your time, Woman! There will be no way I shall allow you to traverse through time a thousand years in the past. But now that you have murdered the one chosen by me, you will have your wish, and it shall kill you. Mark my words!"  
  
"By that time, I would have control over that world, Oh mighty Cervantus. I don't think any fool a thousand years in the past would have the knowledge to rise against me."  
  
"A SeeD in that world you're planning to conquer will kill you for your evil! Destiny shall bestow him with the power to do so."  
  
"Power stronger than my black arts, oh Lord Cervantus?"  
  
"The lionheart surpasses all powers, woman! It shall fall in the hands of a certain Squall Leonhart. He will be the DEATH OF YOU!"  
  
"Hah! We shall see Cervantus."  
  
"I am God, woman! My words are nothing but truth. You shall die by the lionheart! FAREWELL! I shall give you your wish midnight tomorrow."  
  
With that, the shadow disappeared into thin air carrying the body of the girl the queen had murdered in cold blood. The black mages put out the pillar of light and left after bowing to the queen. She stood quietly glaring at the stone ceiling of the chamber.  
  
She smiled, "So Cervantus has made up his mind. I, the mighty Ultimecia shall die at the hands of a Squall Leonhart."  
  
Sifan Leonhart woke up with a start; sweat dripping down the sides of his face. He looked around. Avatar was not near him. Only the cool sea wind blew across the ship deck, drying his brow. He could see the ship approach a small but exquisite looking city on the horizon. Sifan put his hand on his head. The dream he had just seen was as clear as daylight, a small chunk of Ultimecia's past.  
  
{What's the matter? Can't handle a little dream about a dead sorceress?}  
  
[Lyris, did the stuff I see really happen?]  
  
{Of Course it did, sweetheart. Ultimecia was damned to be killed by your father.}  
  
[Who was that Cervantus guy?]  
  
{The God of time.}  
  
[That g-girl Ultimecia had killed, she looked like Ellone.]  
  
{It WAS Ellone's generation, Sifan. It all happened a thousand years after you were born.}  
  
[Ultimecia was from the future, right?]  
  
{Yes. She wasn't happy with her world. It was in ruins because of the countless wars between Galbadia and Esthar that destroyed everything. Galbadia eventually bought all the gardens. And thus the war of magic and summoning began. Only chaos and destruction prevailed. In due course, one of the female SeeDs became powerful enough to take advantage a war torn world. To add to her greed, she inherited the powers of sorcery and the guardian force Griever.}  
  
[Lemme guess. Ultimecia.]  
  
{Yes.}  
  
[Ultimecia was a SeeD?]  
  
{Strange things happen, darling.}  
  
[With her sorcery and the power of Griever, she took over the world, huh?]  
  
{Yes, she ruled the war-torn and hardly-populated world after that. Sadly, that wasn't enough for her; she wanted the world Squall Leonhart lived in.}  
  
[So Cervantus gave my father the lionheart to kill Ultimecia?]  
  
{No. Destiny did.}  
  
[You make it sound so philosophical, Lyris.]  
  
{Cervantus could only choose the time where Destiny would choose its warrior.}  
  
[So he chose the time my dad was alive.]  
  
{Yes, but it was destiny which chose your father. And blessed him with the power of the lionheart.}  
  
[Cool. What about me then? I don't think destiny would want to try anything with a guy like me.]  
  
{..................}  
  
[..................]  
  
{Sifan, you have been chosen.}  
  
[Sounds good, Lyris, It really does. But I am not game, ask destiny to find some other guy.]  
  
{You're not going back, not without completing what you've been called for.}  
  
[I'll find a way.]  
  
{Sifan, I am getting tired of this.}  
  
[Look, Just because I am Squall Leonhart's son, it doesn't mean I can take on the world, ok?]  
  
{But you can, Sifan. That's why you've been brought here. What's within you can outshine even your father's capabilities. You are the son of a sorceress and the warrior of destiny. You are Rinoa Heartilly and Squall Leonhart's son. Both of them are epitomes of something special. You are their son.}  
  
[You're good at making people feel good, you know?]  
  
{Please, Sifan, accept your fate.}  
  
[You know, considering the fact that you know almost everything there is to know, you must be some sort of Goddess who's been sent to help me, huh?]  
  
{You can say that. But I should say I am doing this on my own than being sent here to do so.}  
  
[So what do you want me to do?]  
  
{Stop trying to get out of this world.}  
  
[What should I tell Avatar? 'A voice in my head told me to stop trying to get back to balamb, buddy, so lets stop trying.']  
  
{Oh I almost forgot, If you tell other people about me, you'll die.}  
  
[Very funny.]  
  
{I am serious. You will die. Trust me.}  
  
[Don't worry. I don't think I would go around telling people about the voice in my head.]  
  
{Good.}  
  
[So, I have been called to kill some sorceress like Ultimecia?]  
  
{No, someone far more evil and powerful, that his strength is indescribable.}  
  
[What's his name?]  
  
{You'll find out. Hey, you've reached Costa de sol. you're wasting your time here. Oh well, find out for yourself. See ya.}  
  
Avatar Fenis appeared around the corner and threw the apple he had found in the storage deck to Sifan as the ship approached the Costa de sol port. Sifan took a bite from it as he got up and stretched his arms, "We're here?"  
  
"Yup." Avatar replied, "Lets go."  
  
As soon as the ship docked, both the SeeDs disembarked the ship and walked in to the small city of Costa de sol. It was more posh than Sifan had imagined. It was the perfect Vacation spot. The coconut trees were swaying left and right as the sun shone on the glittery beach. It was full of beautiful girls running around and swimming. There were all sorts of beach cabins and people in swimming suits running in and out of them. Along the shorelines were a few sea gulls scurrying around, hoping they could get a delicacy or two from the passing tourists. Most of the shops sold tan and all sorts of stuff to suit life at the beach. All in all, the place was paradise to anyone.  
  
Avatar gave a loud whistle, "Oh boy, will you look at all those girls."  
  
Sifan sighed, "We came here to find the professor Phillona told us about and get our butts back to balamb."  
  
Avatar eyed a pretty brunette who passed by him, "Come to think of it, this world aint all that bad."  
  
[Sigh, girls, girls, girls. Is that all he cares about?]  
  
"Girls, girls, girls." Avatar said, "That's all I care about."  
  
"I know." Sifan said holding his hand, "But we should really find out where Hamilton lives."  
  
"Yup." Avatar said looking at the blonde in the item shop, "I'll go ask her and buy a few of her items."  
  
Without waiting for anything else he ran away towards the item shop.  
  
[Sure, Professor Hamilton will probably be the last line of his conversation.]  
  
Sifan's eyes fell on a materia shop, nearby. He brushed away the thought of buying anything, as he wouldn't need them because he was going to return to balamb, but his 'conversation' with Lyris made him feel he would never.  
  
He kicked a ball that came rolling his way to the boy who was chasing it. The boy thanked him and ran away in to a door. On top of the door was a sign which said, "Costa de Hairdressers."  
  
He walked into a nearby restaurant and ordered a couple of sandwiches and left to the restroom. He washed his face and looked at the mirror. He stared at his face and especially, his dark brown eyes.  
  
[What are so beautiful about my eyes?] He thought to himself, recalling what Phillona had said about them. He shrugged after a few seconds of observing his eyes.  
  
[She was probably just kidding around.]  
  
{When did you start caring about what she said anyway.}  
  
[Leave me alone for a while, ok?]  
  
{Fine, but Phillona meant what she said.}  
  
[You barged into my head to tell me that?]  
  
{Yeah, I was bored. And I like talking to you.} Lyris' voice said and soon died out.  
  
Sifan heaved a heavy breath and walked back to his table in the restaurant. Munching his sandwich, he saw an airship land on a heliport outside near the port. Through the window, he could see a few soldiers disembark from the ship and leave his line of sight. Another figure that looked like a general walked out of the airship, followed by another young man, who had a rather tight, high-ranking officer's get up. Sifan couldn't see much and he returned to his sandwich, which was calming his rumbling stomach.  
  
Soon, Avatar came in to the restaurant. He caught Sifan with his sandwich, "Hey! Quit hogging' on your own." The waiter nearby seemed to have heard what avatar said and immediately came to Sifan's table. Avatar thought for a second and ordered everything he wanted but stopped when Sifan reminded him they were living on the money Phillona had given for emergencies. He reluctantly ordered a soda and scratching his head, he sighed, "Well, The girl said Hamilton's house was last one before the town's exit."  
  
"Wow, you actually asked her about that."  
  
"Her name is Melissa. She has a brother. A father but no mother. The father's away on a business trip and she sells stuff she finds during hunting, which is one of her hobbies. Her areas of interest are adventure, animals and materia collection. Her house is near her shop and well, she's not my type."  
  
"Irvine's taught you everything, huh?  
  
"Don't blame me. He offered you his services but noooooooooo, Sifan don't want none of that. It's a useful trade kid, getting the girls you know."  
  
"Ok if you say so." Sifan said nonchalantly paying the bill to the waiter, "Lets get going."  
  
"Ah, this place is heaven." Avatar said as both of them headed towards Hamilton's house, "Women, food and the God's blue ocean, what more could a guy want?"  
  
"How about a home?" Sifan suggested.  
  
"Hey we can find ourselves some job like monster-slayers, find a girl and settle down."  
  
"Dream on."  
  
The two of them argued about that prospect as they arrived at a house, which had the name "Prof. Hamilton' imprinted on it's door. Like the girl had said, It was located at the end of town near the exit.  
  
"You have the letter Phillona gave you, right?" Sifan said, knocking on the door.  
  
"Yup." Avatar replied as they waited for the door to open. Strangely enough, there wasn't any reply.  
  
"Try again." Avatar said.  
  
Sifan knocked again harder but there still didn't seem to be any response. Tired of waiting, Sifan reached for the doorknob to see if it was open when a violent explosion from inside sent the door flying off its hinges, barely missing Sifan.  
  



	18. CHAPTER 18

Chapter 18  
  
Avatar Fenis and Sifan Leonhart ran inside the professor's house where they saw a Shin-Ra general standing with a scorn on his face, the aura of the firaga spell still revolving around him, "Don't ya twerps know, when nobody aint frickin home, ya go away!"  
  
"That doesn't mean you cast a firaga spell at anyone who knocks on the door, you lard head!" Sifan said heatedly, recalling how the door had almost flattened him.  
  
"Yeah!" Avatar shouted, "Whoever you are, I don't think you fit in here anyway. And you sure don't look like a Professor-"  
  
Suddenly, A stifled cry from the adjacent room filled the air.  
  
Sifan was the first to draw out his gunblade. He and Avatar ran towards the room the sound had come from, when the general stopped them and pulled out his pistol at Sifan, "Uh-uh, not so fast kid!"  
  
A fire spell from Avatar knocked the pistol out of the general's hand as Sifan ran away to the room where he had heard the cry.  
  
The general was about to follow him when Avatar cracked his jaw with a flying knee. The general fell down on his knees, holding his jaw, "Where'd ya learn ta kick like that ya little runt! Nobody kicks General Rupert that way! NOBODY!"  
  
"I just did." Avatar said swishing out his katana sword, "Whatcha gonna do about it?"  
  
"You're asking for a duel?" he scowled, "I bet you don't even have powerful spells on you. I have firagas, thunda-"  
  
A shruiken whizzed through the air and pinned Rupert's sleeve against the wall, "Well, I got those."  
  
He screamed in rage and ran towards Avatar who easily moved out of the way and spun kick his neck sending him crashing through a few porcelain vases. He got up rubbing his neck and turned to Avatar.  
  
"You're a big boy to keep down, aint ya?" Avatar said playfully, "I mean those rocks in your head must be heavy."  
  
The general cast a Thundaga spell at Avatar who jumped out of the way, avoiding it. Cursing himself, the general shot a firaga spell, which only managed to go out through the window as Avatar rolled behind the brown sofa.  
  
"Ya can run kid." He bellowed, "But ya can't hide from my Ultima Spell!"  
  
Avatar froze. He knew that meant trouble. Even if he was the faster than lightning, an ultima spell meant doom. Somehow, there was no sound of anything that sounded like magic being cast. Avatar waited, confused, when his ears picked up Rupert muttering to himself, "Shit, where the hell did that materia go...?"  
  
That was all Avatar needed to hear. He jumped out from his cover and rushed to the general.  
  
"Hey, Easy kid." The general said backing off when he saw Avatar run towards him from across the room, "I am a peaceful man, I really don't want any-"  
  
His words were cut short as Avatar buried his sword's handle into the general's stomach. He bent forward, groping his stomach with pain. Avatar went behind the hurt general and climbed on his large back and brought his elbow down hard on his neck. He jumped across the room from the general's shoulders and turned around to face him.  
  
General Rupert was semi-paralyzed, clenching his neck and biting his teeth,"Goddamn KID! What did ya do to my neck?"  
  
"You have a thick nerve there buddy, so easy to flatten." Avatar said, grinning.  
  
"Guards! Guards!" the general screamed as the door in a nearby room swung open and a couple of guards stumbled out, each with a sword in his hand.  
  
"Where the hell are the frickin' gunmen?" The general said walking to the exit, still clenching his neck, which seemed to be stuck in one direction.  
  
"Er...." One of the soldiers replied, "They left with the professor to the airship, sir."  
  
"DAMN COWARDS!" the general scowled and limped out through the door after barking at the soldiers to take care of Avatar.  
  
The soldiers raised their swords and slowly inched their way towards Avatar.  
  
"I've always wanted a tough match." Avatar said tightening his grip around his katana blade, "Too bad this aint gonna be one."  
  
Sifan ran in to the room. The whole room was dark from absence of lighting. He froze when he saw a large hole on the wall to the side of the room. A few soldiers were leading a scared scientist at gunpoint to an airship waiting outside. Suddenly, it occurred to Sifan that it was the same airship he had seen while he was having the sandwich at the Costa de sol restaurant. Even the general he had run into was the same one he had seen. So were the soldiers who were hurriedly taking the scientist to the airship.  
  
[Damn. That must be Hamilton.] Sifan thought and ran across the dark room when a kick from someone sent him sprawling backwards. He shook himself and got up, searching the wall for the light switch. Soon it found one and he switched it on. A dim white light radiated the room. The figure that had kicked Sifan slowly walked in to the light, "What's the matter Leonhart? Thought I was dead?"  
  
"Relafen!" Sifan muttered in anger, "Get out of the damn way!"  
  
"That's Commander Relafen, my dear Leonhart." Relafen said unsheathing his gunblade, "As for getting out of the way, that's a no can do."  
  
[Great. Just great.]  
  
Relafen was dressed in a commander's attire. He wore a dark blue over coat with the Shin-Ra symbol of a tiger and a unicorn fighting on his chest. The outline of the coat was lined in golden and silver threads. The rays of light coming through the hole on the wall made the gold buttons on Relafen's sleeve and coat shine. Along his side was a metal gunblade holder. And a thick platinum belt was around his waist carrying fine-tipped bullets. His pants were without a wrinkle and his black leather boots made the wooden floor creaked as he took a step in Sifan's direction.  
  
"I say this suits me better." Relafen said, "Than some damn SeeD coat made of old, cheap material."  
  
"You're kidnapping, Relafen!" Sifan said getting up on his feet, "You'll wear all that fancy clothes and do lowdown stuff like kidnapping?"  
  
"HAH!" Relafen snapped, "Don't give me that Mr. Righteous crap, Leonhart! Go away, or fight."  
  
Sifan looked out through the wall behind Relafen.  
  
[The airship most probably wouldn't leave without Relafen. Maybe If I beat Relafen, those soldiers will come running and Avatar can get into the airship or something.]  
  
"So this time." Sifan said pulling out his Phoenix gunblade, "We fight for real."  
  
"That's right, Leonhart." Relafen hissed, "This aint no garden training session."  
  
"Show me what this commander can do." Sifan said provoking Relafen.  
  
"Find out for yerself!" Relafen screamed and rushed at Sifan. Sifan swung his gunblade and it clashed into Relafen's and they stared each other down.  
  
"Why, Relafen?" Sifan asked, "Your father made the same mistake. He left SeeD out of the want to be a knight. He was paid with treason. You're not doing anything that different."  
  
Relafen let go of his right hand around the sword handle and punched Sifan sending him staggering backwards, "I don't wanna be a frickin' knight Leonhart. Only sissies are knights, lapdogs protecting others. I want to be great, famous and any road to it is FINE!"  
  
"You're star craving mad, Relafen." Sifan said equipping the wind materia he had received from Trex "Lets go home. Forget all your ambitions. We have to go home."  
  
"Shut up, Leonhart. It's a whole new world. A world without that goddamn garden to direct our lives. My dad would want me to stay in this world as long as it means an opportunity to become someone. And I already am someone. The commander of Shin-Ra's army."  
  
Sifan charged himself with the aura of the wind spell, "Shin-Ra is a bunch of power-hungry mongrels, Relafen. You want to be one of them."  
  
"You would say anything to stop me, Leonhart?" Relafen said rushing at him, blade in hand, "Even lies?"  
  
"I am not lying, dammit." Sifan said and released the wind spell. Powerful gusts of wind rushed in through the hole and caused the crumbled bits of the wall made by the hole fly and swirl in the air, dust getting into Relafen's eyes. It grew even more powerful knocking him off his feet. Soon the wind died out and Relafen was on the ground. He muttered something to himself and cried, "You asked for it Leonhart! Meet our old friend, IFRIT!"  
  
The green aura around him soon swirled and disappeared making Relafen's body look like a ghost. And then he appeared, the ground tore and the fire beast broke out of the earth and stood in front of Sifan. The air suddenly became sultry and Sifan began to feel hot. Sweat formed on his brow, out of the heat and also out of fear.  
  
Ifrit roared when he saw Sifan in front of him. He turned around to Relafen and opened his mouth to speak with hot breath, "Master Relafen. We guardian forces are beasts of great strength. Powerful and Strong, we can bring death in an instant. Before me is the flesh and blood of the same Squall Leonhart I still serve. Tell me, is this truly your decision that I kill him or did you summon me out of haste without proper thought."  
  
Relafen rubbed his eyes. He looked at a very horrified Sifan and sighed, "Don't k-kill him, just keep him away till I get to the airship."  
  
Ifrit nodded and breathed fire across the room causing a wall of fire in front of Sifan, "I am sorry, oh son of the warrior. I await to serve you inside the caverns of Mt.Duca."  
  
Sifan sighed and watched as Relafen's figure ran out through the hole on the wall behind Ifrit to the airship. Soon Sifan could hear the airship lift and fly away. Ifrit was about to leave when Sifan spoke, "Ifrit."  
  
The beast looked at Sifan, "I shall not hold conversation with humans for long. I shall be killed if his Majesty, Lord Orion should know about it."  
  
Sifan nodded, "Well, please put out the fire. Relafen's gone, right?"  
  
The beast grunted and swung its arms across the fire. The fire went out leaving the wooden floor stained in black. A magical aura surrounded Ifrit and he disappeared leaving Sifan alone in the room.  
  
{There goes your trip back to balamb.}  
  
[................................]  
  
{I am sorry, Sifan. But it's the way of things. You can't run from your fate.}  
  
Sifan heaved a tired sigh and sheathed his gunblade. He heard footsteps behind him and he turned to see Avatar, his sword in his hand.  
  
"It was those Shin-Ra guys, they kidnapped Hamilton" Sifan said walking to Avatar who sheathed his sword, "And Relafen was their commander."  
  
"What!" Avatar exclaimed as they walked through the hole to the outside. Only eagles few around and there wasn't anything that looked like an airship in the sky.  
  
As they walked back in to the house, they came upon a man in a white coat. He was thin in appearance and had unruly hair. A long face and a weird smile were his other characteristics. Near his feet lay a couple of Shin- Ra's soldiers, each with a shruiken on his forehead.  
  
"Hey." Avatar said, yawning, "They asked for it."  
  
"Uh hello." The man in the white coat said, "What happened here?"  
  
"Um well, we were supposed to meet Professor Hamilton." Avatar said, "But Shin-Ra kidnapped him."  
  
Sifan nodded, "Who're you?"  
  
"I am sorry. Let me introduce myself." The man said in a frail voice, "My name is Professor Lorenz, Hamilton and I are but the closest of friends."  
  
"Um, well, he aint here." Avatar said, "Shin-Ra just took him."  
  
"Yes, they've been after him for sometime." The professor replied, "Unfortunately, there's nothing we can do about it."  
  
"Guess there isn't." Sifan said, deeply in thought.  
  
"They wouldn't hurt Hamilton." Lorenz replied.  
  
"Yeah, I am sure they wouldn't." Avatar said and sat down on the stairway. Sifan leant against the wall as the professor sat on the sofa.  
  
"Hey." Sifan said to the professor, "You're close to Hamilton right?"  
  
"Yes. We share all our ideas and even our intellect at times."  
  
"Well then, do you know anything about the guys at Mideel? You know, they're supposed to be friends of Hamilton."  
  
"Oh you don't mean Cloud Strife's daughter, do you?" Lorenz replied, "Yes of course, me and Hamilton are close friends of theirs."  
  
"Um...." Avatar said, "So are we. Well, kind of."  
  
"Anything I can do to help?" Lorenz said, a cheeky smile on his face.  
  
"Look, you may not believe this." Sifan said, "But we have been warped here from another dimension."  
  
The professor just stared as Sifan as if he had made the strangest statement in the world.  
  
"Don't worry." Avatar said, "He's not insane. Well it kinda happened. So we landed up here, I mean, in Mideel. We're trying to get back. So we came to take Hamilton's help."  
  
The professor thought for sometime and then smiled, "Yes of course. Hamilton had a few projects on inter and intra dimensional optronics."  
  
"Uh." Avatar sighed, "English please?"  
  
"Well, He was working on something involving time and dimensional warps." The professor said thinking, "In fact, his papers on those projects are at my place at Aquadia city. So if you could come by my place tomorrow morning, we'll plan something."  
  
Avatar's eyes lit up, "Hey wow, that's pretty cool."  
  
Sifan just sighed, "Very well, can I have your address?"  
  
The professor took a card from his pocket and handed it to Sifan.  
  
"Well, I am going to make a few calls and get Hamilton's place fixed. I can't leave it around like this."  
  
Sifan agreed, "Yeah you do that. We'll leave."  
  
Avatar got up and yawned. Soon he and Sifan left the professor and walked out of the room.  
  
"This day just keeps getting better." Lorenz snickered to himself and punched a few numbers on his cell phone, "Hello? That you Rupert?"  
  
He put his legs up on the table and leaned back on the sofa, lighting the cigar he had placed in his mouth with one hand while holding the phone on the other.  
  
"Got everything?" The general said at the other end, "We got yer Hamilton warm and cozy in our airship."  
  
"Good. Well, I got news for you too."  
  
"Better be good. I have a frickin' bad neck."  
  
"I met a couple of friends of Phillona Strife."  
  
"Phillona? You mean that Mideel resistance group leader I've been tryin' ta nail?"  
  
"Yes, A plan's already on my mind. A plan that could finally get you Mideel and a name with the president, Rupert."  
  
"Well, What is it this time?"  
  
"Bring Hamilton at midnight to the midgar computer floor. If I am happy with the way things go, I'll hatch a plan for your brainless ass, and get you your Mideel using those two kids I met a few minutes ago."  
  
He cut the phone and leant on the sofa, enjoying his cigar. His eyes burnt with curiosity when he wondered about the information he would find that night using Hamilton's passwords. He mused as to what he should do with Hamilton after he'd serve his purpose.  
  
"That's an easy one." He said crushing his cigar on a photo frame of Hamilton on the desk, "I'll mutate his ass. Who knows? I may create another Vincent Valentine like Hojo did."  
  



	19. CHAPTER 19

Chapter 19  
  
Ultimecia sat on her throne engrossed in thought. She knew her magic arts were powerful and she knew not a single man could stand against them. Moreover, she had one of the world's most powerful guardian forces, Griever. She told herself there would be no problem. But something at the side of her mind was telling her that she was living the last of her days. As she sat motionless thinking, a small girl walked up to her and sat on her lap.  
  
Ultimecia snapped out of her thoughts and smiled at the little girl. The smile was not one of an evil sorceress, it was the opposite, it was the one of a mother smiling at her daughter. She kissed her daughter on her forehead who had quietly sat on her lap, "Darling, how was the magic arts training?"  
  
"Mommy, I cast a blizzaga on three of your black mages." The girl said with a twinkle in her eye.  
  
"That's my girl." Ultimecia said running her hand through her daughter's hair, "Just 12 years old and you're making sparks fly. How's your little brother doing?"  
  
The small girl giggled. "Mommy, he couldn't even cast a fire straight."  
  
Ultimecia sighed, "Don't tell me he-"  
  
"Yeah, mommy, he took daddy's sword and slashed up those mages. Again." The girl said, "Poor guys."  
  
Ultimecia sighed, "Just like your father. He was a demon if he had a sword in his hand."  
  
"Mommy, when is daddy coming back?" she asked her.  
  
"..........................."  
  
"He won't come back?"   
  
"Someday, we might see him, darling."  
  
The girl nodded and jumped down and ran away to find her 9-year old brother. Ultimecia buried her head in her hands. It was just a year ago when her husband, Darius, was assassinated by white SeeDs while he was taking a walk outside the castle. They had killed him and left two children fatherless.  
  
In her mind, her hatred for SeeDs grew only stronger when she thought about it. Cervantus had said that she too, would die at the hands of a SeeD. That was the curse for all her evil. When she thought about the blood-covered body of her husband her soldiers had brought to the castle, she grew even more determined not to let any SeeD even stand against her.  
  
Just then, her son came running to her, tears in his eyes. He threw down his sword to the ground and climbed on to his mother's lap, "M-Mommy..."  
  
"Oh no." Ultimecia said stroking the side of his face "Is your sister picking on you again?"  
  
The boy nodded, "She keeps t-telling me how I am not fit for m-magic-"  
  
"Now, now, sweetheart." She said wiping his tears, "You can be a great knight if not a mage. Your skills with the sword at such a young age are remarkable."  
  
The boy smiled, "Y-You really think so, mommy?"  
  
  
  
Ultimecia smiled, "I heard you chopped up those mages."  
  
"YEAH!" the boy said, his face lighting up, "SWISH! SWISH! And they were all crying for mercy."  
  
Ultimecia laughed, "I am so happy darling. My children are going to be great mages and warriors."  
  
The boy kissed his mother on the cheek, "See you around, mommy."   
  
He jumped down, picked up his sword and ran off to find more black mages he could sever with his sword. She thought about the two children and smiled. But only a frown appeared on her face when she thought about the world they were living in. A world without beauty. A war-ravaged land full of white SeeDs who wanted to put an end to her generation. Even with her own SeeDs that she had 'bought' by her side, she still loathed the fact that SeeD existed. She herself had hated every moment of her SeeD life. She had fallen in love with another SeeD, Darius. 20 years later, white SeeDs had killed Darius. She felt SeeD existed only to make her life miserable. Every problem of hers had its roots in SeeD. She hated her world. She loved her children; she didn't want any it for them.  
  
  
  
*************************  
  
Sifan cursed himself for having so little money. All the materia that were on display on the Costa de sol materia shop were around a thousand gils more than what Sifan had in his pocket. However, there was a time materia that was affordable with Sifan's kind of money. He ignored the smile the blonde girl at the counter gave him and bought the materia. Just as he finished equipping the materia in his sword, he heard a loud call for help from behind him. Spinning around, he saw a man in the shallow seawater thrash about in the water with his hands. He gasped when he saw a tentacle of an octopus wrapped around the leg of the man. Soon the octopus' head appeared outside, revealing its ugly head.   
  
The people started to panic when they saw the monster. Some of them left whatever they were doing and hightailed out of the beach. Some of them picked up some stones and pebbles and started throwing it at the monster, which only agitated it even more. However, none of them dared to come near the water.  
  
Sifan didn't want to play superman but he was the only one with a sword and no one else held any kind of weapon. Avatar was in the Costa de sol inn, sleeping his head off. The octopus' tentacle was sliced easily as Sifan brought his gunblade down on it, releasing the man it was holding. After waddling through the water, the man ran away to safety as Sifan took a step back. The octopus was too angry to go away quietly. It slapped four of its arms around Sifan before he could retreat. Sifan's arms were tightened flatly against his side by the large tentacles of the eight-legged menace of the sea. His grip around the gunblade grew weaker. He could only watch and kick his legs underwater as the octopus slowly began to drag him away to the ocean.  
  
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a thunder fell hard on the monster's face, causing it to withdraw its tentacles. Sifan grabbed the opportunity and lifted out his gunblade and thrust it straight into its head. The monster cried in a strange manner and soon retreated. He swam as fast as he could and returned to the depths of the sea.   
  
Sifan Leonhart turned around to see the caster of the thunder spell that had saved his life. He wasn't very obliged to see Relafen Almasy stand there with his usual smirk on his face. He walked to where he was standing, after sheathing his gunblade.  
  
[I thought he left with that airship.]  
  
Sifan was about to cross Relafen when the latter started to speak, "Don't bother thanking me Leonhart."  
  
"For what, Relafen?" Sifan replied, "for tearing our ticket out of this goddamn world?"  
  
"............................."  
  
Suddenly Sifan realized that the junction system of magic hadn't worked since they had got there, "Do you mind telling me how you summoned Ifrit?"  
  
"I found an Ifrit materia in a sort of condensed form last morning" Relafen said still not making eye contact, "Don't get me wrong about having Ifrit spare your lousy life but I wanted to keep you alive so I could take care of you personally."  
  
"Thanks." Sifan said abruptly, not even turning to face Relafen.  
  
Sifan walked away, leaving Relafen to stare at the ocean. As he made his way back to the inn, he ran in to the man whose life Sifan had saved from the octopus. He was an old gentleman with light brown skin. His face had slight signs of wrinkles and his hair was gray.   
  
He smiled, "You saved my life, young man. How can I ever repay you?"  
  
Sifan nodded, "Um, yeah. Can you tell us were Aquadia city is."  
  
The man smiled again, "Aquadia is an underwater city between the eastern and western continents. In fact, I am leaving tomorrow morning by my own private submarine. It would be my greatest privilege to give you a ride. It's the least I can do."  
  
"Yeah." Sifan replied, "That would be great."  
  
"Ah yes, so seven in the morning then?"  
  
"Yes. Thank you."  
  
"No problem." The man said, "By the way, the name's Harrison."  
  
"Sifan Leonhart." Sifan replied formally.  
  
"Oh yes, I almost forgot." Harrison said digging in his pocket and pulling out a couple of tickets, "These two gold saucer tickets are useless with a guy like me. My son bought them for me but I think I'll pass. So I want you to have them."  
  
"Well." Sifan said taking the two tickets, "What's gold saucer?"  
  
Harrison roared into laughter, "AH, That's a good one! GOLD SAUCER! Entertainment for all! Don't tell me you don't know that?"  
  
Sifan forced a smile, "Er, yeah. Jus' fooling around."  
  
"Anyway." Harrison said as the sun began to set behind him, "The daily airship trip to the gold saucer should be here soon. Get on it and have fun. Take some lucky girl with you."  
  
After saying goodbye to Sifan, the man hurried away towards the restaurant. Sifan could have sworn he had heard Harrison's stomach rumble. He yawned and then made his way back to the inn where Avatar was sleeping. He took his room key and slowly slid it in to the key slot on the doorknob and opened it softly, careful not to wake his friend. The sun was already down and the room was hardly lit at all. Sifan presumed Avatar was fast asleep, and walked inside quietly, making sure his shoes wouldn't make any noise when they touched the wooden floor in the room.   
  
"It's ok, Sifan." Avatar's voice came suddenly, "I don't think I am sleeping."  
  
Sifan sighed and switched on the light, "Geez Avatar. Did it ever occur to you to turn on the lights?"  
  
Avatar didn't reply. Instead he just stared at the window drapes being blown back and forth by the wind. Sifan walked over to them and drew aside the window drapes revealing the sun sinking in to the orange ocean.  
  
Sifan sat down on his bed and looked at Avatar. He was sweating, despite the sea breeze blowing across the room.  
  
"Hey." Sifan said, "You ok?"  
  
There was still no response. Either Avatar was too busy in thought to hear Sifan or he was just ignoring him. Ignoring didn't seem to be what Avatar was doing though.  
  
"Hey." Sifan said again, "I am the one who goes around quietly thinking stuff. You're the loud and happy guy, remember?"  
  
Avatar smiled slowly but the smile vanished quickly. A little too quickly for the persona Avatar Fenis had.  
  
"Um." Sifan said, "You could tell me if you have a problem."  
  
"Sifan, Where did your father find me?"  
  
"Oh..." Sifan replied, "So THAT'S what's gotten you all uptight. Ghosts of the past, huh?"  
  
"Answer my goddamn QUESTION, SIFAN!"  
  
Sifan looked up at Avatar, startled. His face was not a sign of pleasantness as it usually was. His eyes were narrowed and his gaze was fixed on Sifan's line of vision. His jaw was tight and his hands were clenched tightly around the edge of the bed. He stared at Sifan for a few seconds and then grunted and looked away.   
  
"You were an orphan at Fisherman's horizon. Dad brought you home. And-"  
  
Avatar scowled loudly before Sifan could finish and put on the new jacket he had bought at a Costa de sol shop. He walked to the door and opened it and then turned to Sifan, "Got any money?"  
  
Sifan stood up and switched off the light. He walked out of the room after Avatar and locked his door. Avatar didn't say anything as they made their way down the stairs.  
  
Sifan began to speak as they headed towards the exit, "I know it's hard, buddy. Not knowing anything or anyone from the past."  
  
Avatar heaved loudly, "The past never got to me, Sifan."  
  
"Then why now?"  
  
"Back in balamb, the present was all that mattered to me. The people I met, the lifestyle I led in garden, a f-friend like you, an instructor like Quistis, a role model like Squall Leonhart. There was Irvine, Selphie, and Zell. And then Rinoa, she was l-like a mother to me. With all those people around me, I didn't care about the damn past."  
  
"........................."  
  
"From the day we got here, with none of the people I cared about around, only the past seems to be haunting me, Sifan." Avatar said, "I feel like I've been ignoring the past too long. And I've finally found the link to my past through that F-Fenis guardian. H-He is the key to learning my past. When I met him, I realized I've been running away from my past too long. And that's why; I want to know my past Sifan. Sorry for being so pissed off back there but it has really been eating me. I-I want to know what happened before Fisherman's horizon."  
  
"Avatar." Sifan said throwing a comforting hand around his friend, "We'll go back, ok?"  
  
"NO!"  
  
"What!?" Sifan said shocked at what his friend had said, "Y-You don't wanna go back?"  
  
"N-Not till I find out about my past."  
  
"Oh, C'mon buddy!" Sifan said, "That Fenis guardian was probably named after someone else, not your father."  
  
"Fine, what about the ring then?"  
  
"It was just a co-incidence."  
  
"Well, there's one more thing I think you should know." Avatar said hugging himself as they walked near the heliport.  
  
"What?" Sifan said, frustrated.  
  
As a whistle of a dolphin echoed across the sandy beaches of the Costa de sol under the evening sun, Avatar shuddered, "Before I left the Fenis guardian, he said, 'Farwell, Master Avatar'. He knew my f-first name..."  
  
************************** 


	20. CHAPTER 20

Chapter 20  
  
Both the friends walked quietly. Sifan was silent as he and avatar sat on a concrete ledge, which perturbed over the seawater. The huge heliport behind them looked very worn out as Avatar looked up at the sky. They weren't sure whether they were getting back but avatar had said that even if they did find out how to get back to balamb, they would have to put it on hold till he found out about his past. Reluctantly, Sifan had agreed.  
  
"Sifan." Avatar said, "Tomorrow, we'll split up, ok?"  
  
"What?" Sifan asked, surprised, "Spilt up?"  
  
"Yeah." Avatar continued, "You can go ahead to Aquadia city and meet Professor Lorenz about getting back to our world while I go back to those ruins where I ran into that Fenis guardian. I'll meet you at Aquadia city hotel tomorrow evening."  
  
[I am going to have to borrow some money from Harrison. Sigh, no choice, I guess.]  
  
"Well..." Sifan said stretching the word 'well', "Will you be ok on your own?"  
  
"Yeah." Avatar said, "Nothing much that I cant handle."  
  
"Fine." Sifan said, "So we'll do that."  
  
Avatar gave Sifan a tight sideways hug, "I am sorry, pal. It's just that I want to know everything about my life before Fisherman's horizon. I have to."   
  
"Yeah." Sifan said nodding his head, "I understand."  
  
"I am lucky to have a friend like you." Avatar said looking at the water.  
  
"Same here, buddy." Sifan said quietly.  
  
Before he could say anything else, the air was suddenly filled with the loud hum of an engine. The both of them turned around and saw an airship with a big 'G' on its side descend to the bottom. As soon as it landed loudly on the heliport, the megaphone on top of the cockpit burst in to life, "This airship will be leaving to gold saucer in ten minutes! Tickets are available inside, please hurry!"  
  
"Hey." Sifan said pulling out the two tickets Harrison had given him, "This gold saucer stuff is supposed to be entertaining."  
  
"Yeah." Avatar replied as the megaphone repeated the same sentence every minute, "I read about it a little in the newspaper back at the inn."  
  
"Well, Let's go then." Sifan said getting up and dusting himself, "We're not gonna do much sitting around here anyway."  
  
Avatar agreed and the both of them hurried towards the airship, which was getting ready to lift off to the golden saucer.   
  
As soon as they had got inside, they were surprised to see huge photographs of golden saucer from a variety of angles. The airship's interior looked much bigger than anyone would have imagined it to be on the outside. It had hardly been around a few minutes since the airship had landed but there were already people inside looking and ooh-ing and aah-ing over the photos. Avatar's attention was on a side of the airship elucidating on the various rides and attractions on the wall.   
  
Sifan decided to take a quick tour around the large hallways inside the airship, which were complete with red carpets. There was even a small waltz music being played from speakers on the wall. After seeing the video games section and the various screenshots from them, he proceeded to turn around a corner. His eyes were glued to the spooky looking characters of the golden saucer hotel on a photo frame when he bumped into someone from behind. The figure he had bumped into didn't move and had his back turned towards Sifan.   
  
"Excuse me." Sifan said nonchalantly but the figure didn't move. Sifan pushed his way from the side and almost pushed the figure aside when a hand shot out from under the figure's cloak and pinned Sifan's neck to the wall. Sifan had never felt anything like it before, and he gasped for breath desperately.  
  
He felt his feet alight from the ground as the figure slowly lifted him up. Then slowly, he turned his head to Sifan. His entire face was covered with long black hair and only his sharp nose and dry lips were seen. One of his eyes was closed and he wore a hood over his face. The grip grew even stronger literally paralyzing Sifan's nerves. Then, with a loud grunt, Sifan kicked the man's shin but he didn't even flinch.  
  
The man examined him for a while and then dropped him to the ground. Sifan fell on his knees, almost completely out of breath. He clenched his neck when the man spoke in a stone cold voice, "Your coat looked like his."  
  
Sifan breathed slowly, not looking up the man who had almost killed him, "I don't think t-there are a-any other people with a S-SeeD coat."  
  
"Blonde hair... and a coat like that." The man said turning away from Sifan, "know him?"  
  
[Relafen...]  
  
"No." Sifan said, "I don't."  
  
The figure didn't reply and walked away around the corner to another hallway.  
  
[Shit...why the hell was that guy after Relafen?]  
  
Sifan slowly got up when Avatar arrived from behind him and helped him up, "what h-happened?"  
  
Sifan explained everything that had happened as they walked away to the seating room.  
  
"Relafen?" Avatar exclaimed as he examined Sifan's reddened neck, "Why did he want him?"  
  
"Dunno." Sifan replied leaning back on the chair, "He had a hand that felt like iron. That's all I know."  
  
"Relafen probably picked a fight with that guy who choked you."  
  
"If he did, then he sure picked the wrong guy." Sifan replied yawning, the pain easing on his neck. The both of them looked around but they saw no one with a hood. Sifan, especially, was not that eager to find him.   
  
However, Sifan forgot about him when Avatar let out a gasp, "Whoa!"  
  
He was looking out the window. Sifan did the same. The sun was completely gone and the outside sky looked scarlet. Sifan saw the reason soon enough. As they lowered altitude, Sifan felt a barrage of lights almost blind him. He rubbed his eyes and looked properly. The airship flew around what looked like an enormously tall tree towering from amidst a desert. At the end of each branch were gold saucers shining with a sea of lights. Different colored spotlights made the sky a feast to look at. Sifan could see all the different sights he had seen on the photographs. He saw chocobos run around spiral racetracks, which ran beside another roller coaster track. He even saw the spooky hotel at one corner a little far away from the shining lights of the videogame arcade. The tunnel of horrors looked especially long, ending near a pathway, which led to the hall of mirrors. Various stalls were scattered through out the place selling hot dogs and burgers bigger than the ones Sifan remembered Zell eat. Seeing all this in a bird's eye view, it made him want to get down there as soon as possible.  
  
Soon, the speaker in the corner crackled, "We have arrived at the gold saucer. Please use the rear entrance to exit the airship. Also, kindly use the elevators outside. Thank you for your co-operation."  
  
After they felt the airship jolt a little from the landing, the passengers rushed their way towards the rear end. Sifan and Avatar followed and soon they were outside the airship.  
  
After waiting for the crammed elevators to become empty after a few minutes, Sifan and Avatar used the elevator and arrived at a large circular hall with several holes. The holes were large enough to fit the fattest of men. Each of it had a name on it. Avatar watched a well-built man jump into the battle square hole and disappear down the hole with an excited scream of enjoyment.   
  
"Hmm..." Avatar said standing in front of the 'wonder square.' Hole scratching his head, "this is the place which is supposed to have the videogames, right?"  
  
"Hey." Sifan said, "I bet you can't beat the ones here like the ones in the Esthar shopping mall."  
  
"I don't think so." Avatar Fenis said and leapt in to the hole that led to the wonder square, "WHOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO! YEAH!"  
  
[Uh, kids...you can't do without 'em.]  
  
Sifan shrugged and jumped in to the hole after Avatar.  
  
  
  
**************************  
  
General Rupert's iron grip made Professor Hamilton cringe, "Not so hard please."  
  
"Shut up." Rupert barked, "I am a shin-Ra general. Yer jus' a lowly science freak. So shut yer mouth."  
  
After making sure that no one else was around on the computer floor, he pushed him outside the elevator. He followed him after making sure the elevator door had shut. Hamilton slowly walked to the door prodded hard by Rupert.  
  
"Can't that damn Lorenz wait till midnight like he said?" Rupert muttered as the kidnapped professor opened the door. The main computer stood with its bright screen making the dark room blink with white flashes. The cursor on the screen stood on 'password 2' with the first password already typed in. A man with a thin and serious face sat on a chair. When he saw professor Hamilton, he let out an excited yelp, "AH, Professor! How nice of you to come."  
  
He looked at Rupert and smiled, "Sorry about calling you a bit earlier than we had planned Rupert. I jus couldn't wait. Besides, all the others went home early today."  
  
Hamilton just grit his teeth, "What do you want with me, Lorenz?"  
  
Rupert grabbed Hamilton by his shoulders and made him sit on a chair in front of the computer. He then flipped out his revolver and stuck it to back of his head, "Better do what Lorenz her tells ya to, else yer ass is dead as hell."  
  
Hamilton sighed and put on his glasses and looked at the computer screen. When his eyes fell on the display, he swallowed hard and turned to Lorenz who was growing impatient by the minute, "MY GOD, Lorenz. How did you-"  
  
"Put a lid on it, Hamilton." Lorenz snapped, "Ya think I won't know if ya jus' rename the project?"  
  
"Lorenz, you're nuts!" Hamilton said, sweating under the general's pistol, "Why Project J-JENOVA of all the damned ones?"  
  
"Because..." Lorenz said walking up to a nervous Hamilton, "I want to finish what Professor Gast started, and what Hojo failed to complete."  
  
"WHAT!?" Hamilton said, "Don't you realize you could die as a result of touching that project, Lorenz?"  
  
"You're a bad scientist, Hamilton" Lorenz replied, "Science without danger is like rain without water. Science is meaningless without the danger."  
  
Hamilton didn't say anything.  
  
"The perfect soldier's recipe is in that project, Hamilton." Lorenz said bending down to look at Hamilton's scared face, "Now, if you please, the passwords."  
  
"NO!" Hamilton said, "Kill me if you want, but no way in hell you're getting the passwords."  
  
Lorenz sighed, "Rupert. I think its time for your one of your crazy antics."  
  
Rupert guffawed loudly and wheeled Hamilton's chair around, "Ya know what ideas ya get watching all those villains in the movies?"  
  
"This." he completed and pulled out his cell phone and placed it on Hamilton's ears.  
  
Hamilton's eyes grew big when he heard the voice scream at the other end of the phone. Before he could reply, Rupert pulled away the phone and stuffed it into his pocket.  
  
"Love your daughter, don't ya, Hamilton?" Lorenz said.  
  
"You'd rather keep the passwords to yerself and let yer beloved daughter go to hell?"  
  
Hamilton swallowed, "The passwords will be yours, just let my daughter go!"  
  
"Okay then." Lorenz said, "passwords please?"  
  
"XDKVM1324" Hamilton said, dejectedly.  
  
"No way, they'll guess that, eh Hamilton ol' boy?" Lorenz said writing the password on his notepad, "And the other?"  
  
Hamilton sighed, "Laura."  
  
"Ah yes." Lorenz said, "I kind of knew that when you sighed like that. Don't worry Hamilton, we won't let yer little Laura die."  
  
"Well." Hamilton said, getting up, "Can I go now?"  
  
Rupert laughed his loud laugh again, "We said we'll let yer little daughter go, not you!"  
  
Lorenz seized Hamilton around his neck and injected a syringe into it. Hamilton took a step back and then watched his eyesight go blurry, and then fell down, unconscious.  
  
"Take him to the secret room in my lab, Rupert." Lorenz said, "I have some use for the dear professor."  
  
Rupert picked up the out cold Hamilton and put him on his shoulder, "What about the plan ya had for that Mideel resistance leader, Phillona?"  
  
"Later, Rupert." Lorenz replied and swiveled his chair around to the computer, "I have bigger fish to fry."  
  
*************************** 


	21. CHAPTER 21

Chapter 21  
  
"YOU STUPID MOOGLE!" Avatar screamed at the videogame screen, "How many kupo nuts do you frickin' want? Can't you just fly decently?"  
  
Sifan sighed as the other players in the videogame arcade looked at Avatar strangely.   
  
"Er-Avatar?" Sifan said poking Avatar's arm.  
  
"Not now, buddy." Avatar watching the screen, "I think the damn moogle's gonna fly this time!"  
  
Sifan quietly whistled to himself and managed to get away from everyone's stare. He went to the other end of the small room and sat on one of the motorbikes, and inserted a few gils in the slot. It whirred to life and the screen came on with a flicker. There was a Shin-Ra soldier riding a bike, and the objective of the game was to smash a moving mini-van with his sword while racing alongside it.   
  
Sifan played for a while, using the button at the side of the bike accelerator to make his character smash the van to smithereens.  
  
A passer-by stopped to watch Sifan play. Sifan managed to do sufficient damage to the van, while avoiding the bullets from the van's rear gun by swaying left and right. Soon, the van blew up and the video game displayed his high-score.  
  
"12500, eh?" the passer-by said, "Not bad kid."  
  
Sifan got down from the bike and yawned, "Well, that was fun."  
  
"Ya know." The man said, "Before Shin-Ra bought the gold saucer, that game you played was just the opposite."  
  
"Huh?" Sifan said puzzled, "What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, you were supposed to be some mercenary with a spiky-blonde hair who protects his friends in the van from other Shin-Ra soldiers in bikes tryin' to destroy the van."  
  
Sifan put a hand to his forehead, "Geez, so Shin-Ra don't like having videogames with them being slaughtered."  
  
"Yeah." The man replied, "so they changed it to their soldier smashing that van."  
  
"Sad..." Sifan replied, "I bet they had something against the guy with the spiky-blonde hair.  
  
"Yeah." The man said, "Oh well, I better be off, see ya kid, enjoy yerself."  
  
Soon after the man left, Sifan saw Avatar kick the videogame and walk towards him with a frown on his face, "Damn that moogle and his kupo nuts. He'll never impress that female moogle."  
  
"So..." Sifan said as the friends walked over to the hologram fighter, "All that was about impressing a damn female moogle?"  
  
  
  
"Aw, shut up, Sifan." Avatar said fishing his pocket for gils, "don't tell me you're against female moogles too?"  
  
"Whatever." Sifan remarked in a Squall-like fashion, as the hologram fighter machine stirred in to a start.  
  
Sifan looked at the small screen on the top of his control pad, it displayed a character-selection screen.  
  
"Hey..."Avatar said, "I am taking this one-winged angel guy."  
  
"I choose this guy here. Hey, he looks jus' like me." Sifan replied.  
  
  
  
Soon the both of them studied the tutorial as to how to control their players. Avatar's character was half-man half-angel, bare-chested with a single arm and a wing. He just floated in the holographic sphere. Around the top of his head, was a strange halo. Sifan's character was just a normal warrior with a sword. His hair was long and unruly like Sifan's.  
  
The warrior took the initiative and attacked his opponent with every possible sword slash possible but the latter just avoided it but strafing around in the air.  
  
"Hey!" Sifan complained, "You get to fly!"  
  
"Um, yeah but check this out." Avatar said and the one winged angel pulled off a flurry of magic spells and clobbered the warrior left and right with three meteors, a couple of flares, and an ultima.  
  
Before the warrior could get back up, the one-winged raised his hand and a large meteor appeared from behind Avatar's character and fell on the warrior and the warrior turned to ashes and disappeared.  
  
"Too bad." Avatar said, "Yer dead."  
  
"Talk about one-sided battles." Sifan muttered as the friends left the video game arcade and returned to the main hall of the gold saucer through the elevator. Sifan saw a small queue in front of the chocobo square hole. Sifan took off to the thriller square hole but avatar dragged him to the queue in front of the 'chocobo square' hole  
  
"C'mon Sifan." Avatar said, "we don't get much stuff with chocobos in balamb."  
  
After protesting for a while, Sifan gave up and followed Avatar in to the hole after waiting for fifteen long minutes in the queue. Sifan landed on his back behind Avatar with a thud. Avatar grinned and helped him up, "Get up kid."  
  
"Well Well Well." Came a familiar voice from behind them, "If it aint the heroes who saved Mideel."  
  
Sifan was surprised when he saw Trex Denver from Mideel, standing in front of him, the same guy who had sniped Sifan in the arm. Avatar smiled with surprise slapping Trex at the back, "Say! What are you doing here?"  
  
"Um..." Trex stuttered, "Well, I am not too sure I can tell you that-"  
  
"Aw lemme guess." Avatar said, "You're here to get some of Shin-Ra's future plans against Mideel from a spy you have inside Shin-Ra?"  
  
Trex stood motionless, the wind blowing his hair to the side. He lowered his shades to his lower nose, and whispered, "Shit, how'd you know?"  
  
"Wha-?" Avatar's jaw dropped, "You mean-"  
  
"Yeah." Trex said slowly, "You were right. Well, Sort of. There's one of our Mideel resistance guys inside Shin-Ra working as a computer technician. We're supposed to meet him in the gold saucer community dance, which is like 15 minutes from now."  
  
"Uh...'we'?" Sifan said, something barging into mind, "someone else is with you?"  
  
"Sorry Seef." Phillona's voice came from behind, "like you feared, I AM that someone."  
  
[Suddenly, I feel like I should've stayed back at Costa de sol.]  
  
Avatar took Phillona's hand as soon as she came near the three of them and kissed it, "Ah, what a pleazant surprize, my lady."  
  
"Put a lid on it Avatar." Sifan muttered, irate with Avatar's accent.  
  
"Why, iz mizder Zifan Zhealous of me holding ze luvely lady'z hand?" Avatar said and raised Phillona's hand to Sifan, "You can kizz ze hand of ze lady, if that'z what you want. Mizder Zifan."  
  
"Oh shut up Avatar." Phillona said withdrawing her hand, "your accent's giving me a headache."  
  
"Phillona." Trex said, "Can you believe Avatar guessed- ". He lowered his voice, "-what we're here for."  
  
Phillona smiled, "Oh well, as long as he keeps it low."  
  
"Don't worry." Avatar said, "It's safe with me."  
  
Suddenly the speaker behind them began to blare, "Race 14 is about to start. Those who haven't yet selected your chocobo, please hurry to the counter and place your bets. Thank you."  
  
Trex's eyes lit up, "HEY! Gotta go! I am sure my personal favourite chocobo, Tidus, is gonna win!"  
  
Trex was about to leave when Phillona barred his way, "uh-uh Trex. The dance starts in 10 minutes. A chocobo race can go on for half an hour if it must. And the fact is, neither of us is even dressed for the dance."  
  
"Phillona!" Trex cried, "I have to be there for this! It's a big prize! They're giving a summon materia for the luckiest of the winning bets! It could be Odin!"  
  
Phillona stood her ground, "First things first."  
  
"Uh tell you what." Trex said, "I'll be back with you in FIVE minutes."  
  
He grabbed Avatar and Sifan by their elbows and prodded them towards the men's restroom as Phillona sighed and waited.  
  
He locked the door behind him and unhooked a small bag from the hanger, and then desperately began to speak, "guys! I need a favor."  
  
Sifan's eyes lit up, "5000 gils."  
  
He avoided the stern gaze from Avatar and said, "4500."  
  
"FINE!" Trex said, "That summon materia HAS to be mine!"  
  
"What do we need to do?" Sifan asked impatiently.  
  
"Well." Trex sighed, "There's a monthly Gold saucer community ball held for the rich community. Mostly, people whose influence is required for Shin-Ra are invited. Well, they invite Phillona every time in hopes of solving the mideel problem. Well, we sort of use that for our advantage. Our guy inside Shin-Ra, of course, will be at the dance. So, in the middle of the dance, our informant guy and me switch partners."  
  
Avatar smiled, "Lucky you. You get to dance with the most beautiful girl I've ever seen."  
  
"Whatever." Sifan cut in, "So when you switch partners, Phillona gets all the information and everything she needs to know from the informant guy."  
  
"Yeah." Trex said, "That's how we anticipated the Shin-Ra attack last month. So anyway, I am basically a cover-up date."  
  
"Not a real one, huh?" Avatar said.  
  
Trex didn't take Avatar's remark too well and his face showed signs of disappointment, "P-Phillona, she...she n-never bonds to any one. She's been like that since buganhagen died. I've t-tried from the day I met her."  
  
"Forget the needless details, ok?" Sifan remarked.  
  
"HEY!" Avatar said, "The guy's had a heartbreak, it aint easy ok?"  
  
"Anyway." Trex cut in, "I just need one of you to take my place. There's a black suit in this bag. Best threads in the world. Use em'"  
  
He threw the bag near Sifan's feet. Sifan looked up at him, "Avatar's gonna do it. Not me."  
  
"Oh." Trex said, "I thought you and Phillona looked great togeth-"  
  
"The race is starting." Sifan said, making Trex jump to his feet  
  
"I'll tell Phillona that Avatar will be filling in for me." Trex said to Sifan, "Meet her in the ball in ten minutes."  
  
He quickly gave Avatar instructions as to how to get to the ball and disappeared out of the door in a flash.  
  
"Get dressed." Sifan said pushing the bag to Avatar with his feet, "Your going to dance with the most beautiful girl I've- I mean- you've ever seen."  
  
  
  
*********************  
  
After the general had left the room with Hamilton on his right shoulder, Lorenz anxiously typed in the passwords. His fingers shook with anticipation as the computer verified the three passwords. He screamed with delight when it accepted his login and displayed an avalanche of information.  
  
His scrolled down the lengthy files and sub-files, with an evil grin in his face. He copied the file to a disc and stuffed it in his pocket; he was about to log off when his eyes fell on something.  
  
Under the paragraph about Jenova cells was another paragraph in italics, "If at all an organism undergoes complete Jenovasysis i.e. if every cell in an organism is replaced by a Jenova cell, then its life stream shall flow only in red. This state of complete Jenovasysis, however, has not yet been attained in any organism. Few doubts arose as to whether Hojo and Lucrecia's offspring attained complete Jenovasysis but it was confirmed that the offspring was only 95% Jenovasysed."  
  
"SHIT!" Lorenz hissed and ran to another room and switched on the hanging bulb. He logged on to the Shin-Ra database on his laptop. He hurriedly typed in the words, "Lucrecia-Hojo."   
  
He stood tapping his feet impatiently. The computer whirred and then displayed the results.  
  
On the screen was a brief history of how Professor Hojo and Lucrecia had met, and how they had eventually got married and had a son. Then it went on about how the real reason Hojo had married Lucrecia was because he wanted to indirectly use his wife for his experiments. Then came another paragraph about how Lucrecia was an ancient and hence it was the reason that Hojo had chosen her.   
  
"WHAT WAS THEIR SON'S NAME DAMMIT?" he shouted scrolling down the page and then he found it. He smiled promptly when the name was displayed. He then jumped on to another desk and stumbled with the phone and called a number.  
  
"H-Hello?" Lorenz stuttered, "Renold?"  
  
"G-God, Lorenz!" a sleepy voice at the other end snapped, "DO you know WHAT TIME IT IS?"  
  
"Sorry pal. This is urgent."  
  
"Better be good."  
  
"I need you to e-mail me that file about Life stream Resurrection."  
  
"SHIT, LORENZ!" the voice grew agitated, "You called for that crap? We all know the fool who wrote it was a Looney. They still have him in the mental health center."  
  
"I know." Lorenz replied, "but I need the file. My field of application is totally different. I need you to e-mail it to me right NOW!  
  
"C'mon, the file goes on about returning someone to life from their life stream? You know it's as good as an old wives' tale. No way in hell you can separate a single life stream from the rest of em'."  
  
"PLEASE! I NEED THE FILE!" Lorenz said, literally shouting.  
  
"OK, fine. I'll e-mail it to ya and get back to bed." The voice said and hung up.   
  
Lorenz kept the phone down and pulled out a drawer and ruffled through old newspaper articles, he finally picked the one he wanted. He read the last bit of the article aloud as if he were a maniac, "Leading scientists have confirmed that this new red life stream was separable from the other normal ones from inside the northern crater. However, they have found no difference between normal life stream liquid and this new red type of life stream except for its color and the fact that it can be separated. Further, due to the vast monster population inside the northern crater, further research has become impossible."  
  
Lorenz returned the paper clipping to his pocket and sat thinking on his chair. After a while he mused about his conclusions aloud, "Red life stream means whoever died and changed into that life stream had attained complete Jenovasysis. And the only thing that was nearest to complete Jenovasysis was Lucrecia and Hojo's son meaning, that life stream..."  
  
He thought again for sometime, "Let me just presume that it IS Lucrecia's son's life stream. Now, the main reason the lifestream resurrection theory failed was because it failed to explain how to separate individual lifestream from the rest of the life stream since they all flowed together. Now, separation is out of the question as far as the red life stream is concerned. Those scientists said it themselves. Any tom, dick or Harry can separate life stream using a spectra-separator, with its color identification technique. So once I have the red life stream in my hands, all I have to do is apply the rest of the life stream resurrection principles."  
  
His eyes first widened with fear but then curiosity took over, "and then...if it works...he will live again..."   
  
"Who will?" Rupert said, appearing at the doorway, with a lit cigar in his mouth.  
  
"Nothing." Lorenz said but in his mind, he replied, "Lucrecia's son...Sephiroth..."  
  
********************** 


	22. CHAPTER 22

Chapter 22  
  
Sifan and Avatar slowly drew away the silver curtains and entered the ball. Sifan's eyes were drawn to a huge chandelier on the ceiling, which was so brightly lit that it almost blinded him. Looking around, Sifan saw the large rectangular hall scattered with all sorts of people. Avatar grinned at his reflection on the floor, which was furnished with dark green and white checkers. The walls were painted a light golden color with a few portraits hung to give it an exquisite touch. At a corner was a circular platform on which a band played music. There were several waiters and waitresses serving the guests that were entering the hall by the minute. Sifan spotted a few couples that were already starting to dance to the soft music being played by the band.  
  
"This place looks so much like the SeeD graduation ball, eh buddy?" Avatar said adjusting his suit blazer. He squirmed a little in his blazer and then admitted, "This stuff is tight, man."  
  
Sifan looked at Avatar. He wore a shiny velvet black suit and he had added a white rose he had found, in his pocket. Not a single wrinkle was on the suit and Avatar looked like the perfect handsome gentleman despite the ponytail he had tied out of his hair.  
  
"Stop complaining." Sifan said picking up a glass of champagne a waiter had offered him.  
  
"Complaining?" Avatar said, "I am gonna dance with an angel, why should I complain? All I am saying is, this suit is a wee bit small."  
  
Sifan sighed at Avatar's reference to Phillona.  
  
Avatar smiled, sipping a glass of wine, "I am gonna remember this for a long time to come."  
  
"Whatever." Sifan replied, "Just don't fall in love with her or something, we're in this for the money and that's it."  
  
"Life is good sometimes, eh?" Avatar remarked, grinning, "You get paid to do what you love doing..."  
  
Sifan sighed and leaned himself against the wall while Avatar kept an eye out for Phillona. Just then, something inside Avatar's pocket started to beep. Avatar dug into his pocket and pulled out a cell phone and answered it.  
  
"Trex?" Avatar said hearing the voice at the other end, "What now?"  
  
  
  
He listened intently to what Trex was saying and his eyes widened as the seconds went by. He then nodded, "Yeah, I'll be there, bye."  
  
"W-Wait a second." Sifan started but Avatar seized Sifan by the elbow and dragged him away to the restroom. Sifan wanted to protest against whatever they were doing but then decided to save it till they were alone.  
  
As soon as they got inside, Sifan pulled his hand away from Avatar's hold, "H-Hey! What did Trex say?"  
  
Avatar hastily removed his coat blazer, "Trex says there's this battle Square, 'blade warrior' contest starting now."  
  
"Yeah but..." Sifan started when Avatar cut in, "Well, the top prize is the dark katana blade."  
  
"Yeah but-"  
  
"I've been hunting for that sword for days." Avatar cut in again, removing his pants and hopping around in his underwear, "I am sorry pal, but you're gonna have to do the dance. I need that sword!"  
  
"NO WAY!" Sifan cried, "I-"  
  
Avatar continued to ruffle through the bag for his old clothes, "I don't care what you do. If you want to, you can chicken out."  
  
Sifan groped his forehead, "Damn you, Avatar. I am not doing this."  
  
"Fine!' he said, fixing his sword holder to the side and tossing the black velvet suit he had worn for the dance to Sifan, "Jus' remember. Mideel's resistance group is sort of depending on you, you're gonna lose the pay for this favor, and you're gonna have to face a very mad Phillona."  
  
"Your choice." Avatar said, shrugging, "see ya around, kiddo."  
  
  
  
He closed the door and then opened it again, "Oh, and when you dance, keep her close, ok? She'll like it."  
  
Sifan kicked the door shut with frustration as he heard Avatar laugh and run away from the ball's entrance. Heaving a large sigh, he put on the suit Avatar had given him, while cursing his friend for leaving him for the dance. The fact that Avatar was going to the battle square 'blade warrior' contest, leaving Sifan for the dance with Phillona, made him wish Avatar would get a nice kick in the face from whichever opponent he was fighting. Sifan quickly tried to recall how his SeeD counterparts had danced at the SeeD graduation night, but only thoughts of him raising his glass to the moon came to his mind. He slapped his forehead with frustration and a feeling of impending doom came upon him.  
  
{Oh C'mon...It can't be that bad...trust me...}  
  
[Ah, yes, Lyris... What a convenient time to barge into my head.]  
  
{Geez, its just a dance. Besides, you like Phillona, remember?}  
  
[I'd rather dance with Omega Weapon.]  
  
{Sigh, she's waiting. Hurry up.}  
  
When Sifan put on the suit, Sifan didn't the feel the suit to be as rigid as Avatar had said it was. He ran his fingers though his dark brown hair and pushed the strands in front of his ocean blue eyes to the side. After washing his face and toweling it, he wiped his shoes with some lavatory tissue and threw it into the bag and closed it. He took a few step backs and looked at the reflection in the mirror. He didn't want to look handsome and appealing but he didn't want to make a complete fool of himself either. Satisfied he looked his best, he slowly opened the door and made his way outside, praying Phillona would never show up.  
  
The crowd had somewhat scattered themselves and filled the ballroom as the dance had already begun. Sifan had a weird feeling in his stomach and slowly moved along the wall and settled himself beside a tall flower vase. He watched the band members play with complete involvement and saw many men and women dance with each other without the slightest care in the world. Sifan wondered if he could see the informant who he had to switch partners with, but he gave up the idea of searching through the guests. And then, across the ballroom of scattered guests, his ocean blue eyes fell on a brown-haired girl who was walking in slowly.  
  
Sifan could have sworn something inside go numb when he saw her. Phillona Strife walked in to the ballroom in a velvet black French dress that stretched from her chest and ran down her tender figure, stopping just a little above her knees. A small shiny diamond necklace on her neck glittered its way across the room and fell on Sifan's eyes. As she walked down the ballroom, the earrings she wore shone in the light of the chandelier. Unlike Sifan, her dark brown hair was neatly made and it glistened whenever a light fell on it. And in confirmation of his worst fear, she was looking disturbingly attractive.   
  
{If she didn't get your attention now, you're definitely not a normal guy...}  
  
[...She did...a little...]  
  
{A 'little'? don't play hard to get, I bet you're melting like butter right now.}  
  
[Go away, Lyris, you're getting on my nerves.]  
  
{Enjoy the dance.}  
  
Phillona noticed Sifan across the room wearing the suit she expected Avatar to show up in. She looked at him, surprised.  
  
[Yeah, I know, Avatar's not here. Hurry up and lets just get this damn thing finished.]  
  
Before he could signal to her, a small group of people had walked across his line of vision and covered Phillona. They kept walking as if they were coaches on a never-ending train. And then a very fat lady stopped in front of Phillona and started chatting to an old man who was half as tall and thick as she was. Sifan moved his head to the side but he still couldn't catch even a glimpse of the velvet dress Phillona wore.  
  
Sifan heaved a sigh of relief, hoping desperately that Phillona would somehow run into the informant and finish whatever they had to do without having Sifan to dance with Phillona. After about ten minutes, during which Sifan heard an amusing conversation about a thief who lived in the desert, the fat lady walked away to talk to someone else. Sifan noticed that the place where he had seen Phillona initially was now empty. Something suggested to Sifan that Phillona had seen the informant but then he decided to make sure Phillona was talking to the informant so he could leave in peace..  
  
Sifan excused himself through the couples that were dancing and headed to the middle of the ballroom, trying to catch a glimpse of Phillona with anyone who would look like an informant. After waddling through the gaps and spaces between dancing couples, he finally found her. She was dancing with someone. And Sifan felt a strange headache drill through his head when he saw them. A few feet away from him, with a dreamy look and an expression full of charm, Relafen Almasy was dancing with Phillona Strife.  
  
********************  
  
Ultimecia's final form fell back as Eden retreated after killing almost every bit of energy left in her. Before it of course, Irvine had launched a crazy flurry of dark ammo shots at her. Before she could cast any sort of healing spell on herself, Rinoa's invincible moon made her enemies invulnerable to anything human or inhuman. She decided to try and cast an apocalypse spell but it only wasted her energy. However to her content, her enemies had stopped glowing in the orange aura...that aura that triggered their limit breaks. She was relieved but her eyes widened when she saw one of them still had the aura glowing on them. She quickly tried to cast a dispel spell on him but it was too late. Squall Leonhart rushed at her for his Renzokuken. She felt feverish pangs of pain every second as she received the brunt of the Lionheart's blade. Squall finished his slashing insanity but she was still alive, she knew it...but so did he. He took a step back and charged his sword and strengthened his shimmering white blade with powerful auras. All hell about to be unleashed on Ultimecia, she tried talking to affect their minds, to discourage their spirits but it was of no use. The SeeD then rushed at her to finish her off with his lionheart limit break chaos. She didn't know whether pain felt like the way it did then as her enemy assaulted her with furious slashes and deadly cuts drawing every bit of blood that was left in her body, and soon she felt her world go black. Her final form of a sorceress crumbled and started to vanish...as the warriors that had killed her watched on. She felt herself drawn away...far, far away and then in her human form, blood flowing from her head to toe, found herself in a bright castle chamber...it was the same chamber where she had killed the one chosen by Cervantus. The only difference was, it was unusually bright, and then a few feet in front of her was a golden throne with a lion figurehead at the end of its armrests. On it was seated, the God who had damned her to die...Lord Cervantus, himself.  
  
Ultimecia sank down to her feet, blood everywhere on her body. She opened her withered mouth to speak,"Ah...so...that w-was...y-your L-Lionheart w-wielding w-warrior, C-Cervantus?"  
  
Cervantus stood up from where he was seated, "My words have never failed, woman."  
  
She staggered to her feet, "C-Cervantus...before I d-die..."  
  
Cervantus turned away, his back on her and spoke in a deep voice, "And why should I listen to your last ramblings woman...?"  
  
"Because..." she said, "My last r-rambling...I-Is about my c-children..."  
  
Cervantus was silent, "Your children...shall leave your world and enter another, Woman...because...that was your wish behind all your evil...but they shall be taken far far away from you or your kind..."  
  
"T-Thank y-you..." she said and then she staggered back and fell down. The throne and Cervantus disappeared and then she saw the castle's chamber around her erupt into flames. Voices of anguish and angst were moaning and groaning outside the fiery flames. She felt her breath go dry as the fire continued to burn brightly around her. It was obvious; while she was away, white SeeDs had attacked and set the castle on fire. She cried for her children and as if to answer her, the door at the end of the chamber flung open as two tall and strong guardians she had assigned to protect her children ushered them in to the room. Her son and her daughter let out a bewildered gasp when they saw their mother bloody and almost dead on her knees. They came over to her with tears in their eyes, a look of lost and hopeless feelings in them. A bright blue portal flashed into appearance in one corner and a light red one in another. Cervantus' voice boomed inside her head, "I shall keep my promise...send your children through the two lights..." As they sat crying over their mother's bloody self, she managed to cough out the words slowly to her children.   
  
She looked at her son first, "D-Darling, p-please go through t-the light I-in that c-corner..."   
  
The boy looked at the portal but refused to leave her mother's side but after Ultimecia's repeated pleas, he kissed his mother on her cheek and walked in to the blue portal after saying a tearful goodbye. The portal and her son disappeared in a flash. She had wanted to send someone to protect him but she didn't know the portal would disappear as it did. And then she turned to her daughter and asked her to leave through the other one. She was even more determined than her brother not to leave her mother. Though the flames around them were closing in on them, she clung to her mother's neck, refusing to move but Ultimecia cast a sleep spell on her. The two guardians carried her and moved in to the other red portal and they all vanished together. And then slowly the fire closed in on her bloody body, which bore the slashes of Squall Leonhart's gunblade. And as the flames turned her to ashes, she sunk in to death with a final wish that her children would never know their past.   
  
  
  
********************** 


	23. CHAPTER 23

Chapter 23  
  
[Relafen, that idiot!]  
  
Sifan waited but Relafen continued to dance with Phillona, talking to her now and then with a wide smile on his face. Phillona just smiled at everything he said, occasionally looking behind Relafen's shoulder. Sifan's headache jumped a level higher when he saw what a great dancer Relafen was. Phillona looked as though she was enjoying herself too. Sifan was about to turn back when Lyris swooped into his head.   
  
{That's IT? You're gonna turn away and return to the shadows of the ballroom's corner?}  
  
[Hey, She's got a partner. She looks happy dancing with him. I am not needed now...]  
  
{She's supposed to be YOUR date. NOT Relafen's.}  
  
Suddenly, Phillona caught Sifan's eye from over Relafen's shoulder. Relafen was busy whispering something to Phillona over her shoulder as they danced. Phillona gave an urgent smile and then pulled back from Relafen as Sifan walked up to them. Relafen's eyes were glued so much to Phillona that he didn't even see him walking beside him.  
  
"Um, Relafen..." Phillona said, "I'd like you meet my date, Sifan Leonhart..."  
  
Relafen took a quick step back as if someone had prodded him with an electrocuting rod. He turned around and his lips jammed shut. All of Relafen's charm turned to spite when he saw Sifan grin at him as if he was his dearest pal in the whole world.  
  
"And Sifan...." Phillona said turning to Sifan, "This is Rela-"  
  
"Relafen Almasy..." Sifan completed, "Commander-in-chief, Shin-Ra army..."  
  
"W-Wait a second, Phillona." Relafen said taken back, "You know t-this dork?"  
  
"Yes." Phillona replied, "We met a few days ago..."  
  
  
  
Sifan just smiled at the both of them and stretched out his hand to Phillona and turned to Relafen who still looked as if somebody had put a knife through his heart, "Um, if you don't mind, COMMANDER Relafen, I'd like to dance with my date..."  
  
"Nice to meet you commander." Phillona replied with a smile that said Leave-us-alone.  
  
"Oh..." Relafen said looking at Sifan, puzzled. He then sighed and smiled at Phillona and walked across Sifan's shoulder after muttering, "Excellent catch, Leonhart."  
  
After watching Relafen disappear through the exit, Sifan turned around to face Phillona. He didn't say anything; only his eyes seemed to tell him how beautiful she looked. He did his best to keep his eyes away from her line of vision but they always managed to come back. He swallowed a little at the prospect that he had to dance with the girl in front of him. He was rummaging his brain over what he should say when Phillona spoke first.  
  
"Um..." Phillona said, "You know him?"  
  
"Uh yeah..." he said, "he is- I mean- WAS one of us. He strayed away somewhere else after we landed up in -Er- this world..."  
  
"But...how did he become commander?" she asked puzzled, "It's just been a day since you guys got here..."  
  
"Beats me..." Sifan replied, "I found out that he became commander when I kinda ran into him at Costa de Sol."  
  
They stood silently for sometime as the band started another waltz tune, which strangely resembled the one that had been playing in the Esthar presidential palace at Laguna's Farewell party. Seeing Sifan stand as if he had been led to a slaughterhouse, Phillona smiled to herself. Sifan just raised his eyebrows, clueless as to why she was laughing. He bit his teeth and felt once again like breaking Avatar's head.  
  
"Hey..." she said looking at him, "loosen up..."  
  
"Ugh..." Sifan smiled sheepishly, "Yeah...I guess I should..."  
  
"Don't worry about missing the informant." Phillona replied, "He'll give a single beep to the phone in your pocket when he sees us."  
  
"Ok..." he replied. He stood silent for a while and tried to make a lame start at a conversation, "So...uh...how are you?"  
  
Phillona smiled, "Seef, You just saw me this morning, remember? ...but...I am fine, thank you."  
  
Sifan rubbed the back of his neck, "Uh...so what do we do now?"  
  
She tilted her head and looked at Sifan, "We dance, silly..."  
  
Sifan started to speak urgently, "Tell you what...I am not a very good dancer. So, uh...I'll jus' stand over there in that corner and-"  
  
"Uh uh..." Phillona said, "They'll get suspicious if I don't have a date. There are a lot of Shin-Ra personnel here..."  
  
Sifan looked like he was going to cry when he realized he HAD to dance with her. He was openly showing Phillona that he was the last one on earth who wanted to dance but then he remembered the money waiting for him after the dance.  
  
"Fine..." Sifan said slowly, "Um...Er- but just keep your distance, ok?"  
  
She laughed softly and took a small step towards him. Sifan wanted to jump about ten steps back but he held his ground. However he started to complain immediately, "Hey...that's too close..."  
  
"Shut up, Seef." Phillona replied, tired of Sifan's antics. Ignoring a mumbling Sifan, she raised her arms and enfolded them around his neck, "Just be quiet and dance. You don't have to be good at it."  
  
"I thought I told you I don't like 'Seef'..." Sifan said feeling squirmy at the feel of her arms around his neck.  
  
"I thought I told you I'll call you what I want....besides, I think it's cute." She replied. Phillona felt strange to have her hands around Sifan's neck when he wasn't even moving. He just stood there like a log. Looking at how Sifan was contemplating on what to do next, she sighed "You're supposed to place your hands on me, handsome..."  
  
He mumbled another curse at Avatar and hesitantly placed his hands on either side of her hip. Watching the couples on either side of him dance, he then tried to move his feet in rhythm with Phillona's but it didn't look very successful. Feeling very ridiculous and even more idiotic that he was discomforting Phillona, he muttered, "I told you I am no good at this."  
  
Watching him struggle to dance, she smiled at him, 'It's alright."  
  
"Hey..." Phillona said looking at how Sifan was watching the floor instead of her, "Why are you so interested in the floor?"  
  
Swaying his shoulders too far to the left, he said, "I like green and white checkers...especially on well polished flo-"   
  
"Seef." Phillona interrupted, and with a giggle she continued "If you stopped trying to keep a gap between us, you wouldn't have to look at me straight in the face.... and hence you wouldn't have to stare at the floor either..."  
  
"Nice try." Sifan replied, surprised at how she had found out the reason he was examining the floor, "but you're staying put right where you are."  
  
They danced for a while; Sifan still getting his shoulder sways wrong. He could've sworn the neighboring couple were looking at him strangely. He ignored them and soon, he managed to perfect his feet movements, with Phillona's help.  
  
"Sorry for being a lousy dancer." He said slowly once again feeling Phillona was ashamed to be dancing with him, "I-It's my first dance."  
  
"Oh..." Phillona remarked, surprised as they continued to waltz, "I didn't know that. Then you're really good for a first timer."  
  
"Uh...I used to watch Avatar dance." Sifan replied, doing another inept sway. He was surprised when he realized she was still dancing with him. Phillona showed no signs that she was embarrassed to Sifan's amazement. On the contrary, her frequent smiles and comments about how Sifan should try to relax made him feel comfortable. And slowly, he wasn't all that mad at Avatar anymore.  
  
Sifan was interrupted when a single beep sounded in his pocket, "Hmm...there's the informant."  
  
"Uh Yeah..." She said slowly letting go of Sifan, "Keep a watch for a guy with a white rose in his pocket like the one on yours."  
  
They looked around for some time when Sifan spotted a couple dancing a few feet away from them. The man had a white rose in his pocket and he smiled when Sifan looked at him. Sifan could make out that it was a very different smile and he nodded in return. The man came over and asked Phillona for a dance. She accepted as Sifan took leave of her side and walked over to the informant's female partner. She was blonde haired and wore a rather bright white dress. She gave Sifan a sharp look when he walked over to her.  
  
"Uh..." Sifan said, "Can we dance?"  
  
"Geez..." the girl said as Phillona danced with the informant, "You must be a new kid in town...your moves were quite -ahem- different..."  
  
"Yeah." Sifan said, not quite liking being called the 'new kid' or being reminded that he was a bad dancer.  
  
"And also, don't you even know how to ask a girl for a dance?" she snapped, "you don't just walk up to them and say, 'can we dance?'..."  
  
Somehow, Sifan felt a pang of dislike for her. She was beautiful but Sifan's anti-feminine side got the better of him when he recalled her remarks. Seeing her white dress, Sifan said, "Say...why are you dressed like a ghost? Is this a costume ball?"  
  
"WHAT!?" the girl replied angered by Sifan's statement, "What kind of a friend of Gerard's are you anyway?"  
  
"Ah, Gerard." Sifan said watching the informant dance with Phillona, whispering something into her ear. Sifan continued to tease Gerard's date, "I had no idea he dated ghosts. Who's next? Another white-washed Ghoul friend of yours?"  
  
The girl gave Sifan a scornful look and marched across the ballroom almost knocking a waiter down. When Gerard saw this, he quickly slipped Phillona a small letter and disappeared after his date that Sifan had driven away.  
  
Sifan walked back to Phillona. Before she could ask him what had happened, Sifan replied, "I didn't like her."  
  
She looked at him with a raised eyebrow as Sifan let her bind her arms around his neck again, "Hey...Elena's a beautiful girl."   
  
"Yeah..." Sifan said sliding his hands around her waist, "but you are....uh...-Er-...Well, I just didn't like her..."  
  
Phillona chuckled. Sifan, somehow, felt a tinge of contentment seeing Phillona's smile instead of holding Gerard's white-dressed date.  
  
"Hey, are you still telling the world that you hate me like the way you were, this morning?" Phillona said, reminding him of how Lyris had tricked him into shouting he didn't like Phillona. He felt a little weird now that he was holding the same girl for a dance.  
  
"No..." Sifan replied, finally getting his shoulder sway in time and line with Phillona's.   
  
"Well, in that case..." she said and looked at the floor, a slightly shy look creeping across her face, "You mind letting me move a little closer...?"  
  
Sifan suddenly realized that the information exchange between the informant and Phillona was over. He knew that he was no more obliged to dance and he had the freedom to go his own way now. Sifan was about to open his mouth when Phillona placed a finger on his lips, and re-established eye contact "Please...?"  
  
Sifan was about to say 'No' again but he realized his head had nodded in agreement on its own. She smiled and pulled herself closer to him. Sifan flinched a little when he felt Phillona against his clothes. As she moved to the music slowly, she quietly leaned her head under Sifan's chin, which made him squirm uneasily. And when she rested the side of her face against his chest, he felt as if all the air behind his chest had been let out.  
  
"Have you found a way of going back to your world?" she asked Sifan who was still trying to get used to holding Phillona so closely against himself.  
  
"No...Professor Hamilton was -Er- away on vacation to some place." Sifan said, feeling too lazy to explain the entire kidnapping incident, "We're seeing a friend of his in Aquadia city..."  
  
"Aquadia's a beautiful place..." Phillona replied, "I hope you find a way back to your world...I guess your parents must be anxious, huh?"  
  
Sifan thought of his parents but he didn't want to talk about his parents to Phillona when he remembered that she was an orphan.  
  
"Yeah...I guess so..." he replied, his chin brushing her hair. He was starting to feel a little comfortable and his heartbeat changed from a fast pace to a much slower one.  
  
"Your girlfriend must be worried too..." She said sliding her finger down the Phoenix pendant on Sifan's neck, "Avatar said she was pretty..."  
  
"Oh, he did?" Sifan said sarcastically wishing Avatar had lost the battle square contest.  
  
"You must miss her already, huh?" she said, pre-occupied with hearing Sifan's heart beat, "Cause Your heart's beating slowly..."  
  
[That's because of you, you stupid girl...]  
  
"I don't have a girlfriend..." he replied, guessing Avatar must have told her all that rubbish while he was lying in bed, the previous night in Mideel.  
  
  
  
"He also said..." Phillona said while she laughed softly against his chest, "that every girl in your, uh, garden, was after you. But you were faithful to your girlfriend even if the odds were against you and-"  
  
"I told you... I don't have a girlfriend...Avatar's tried to book me one for months..." Sifan sighed, irritated at Avatar's tales.   
  
"Why?" She said, brushing the white rose in his pocket, "You ARE cute you know..."  
  
"I don't want one..." he replied, "You, Avatar, and probably every tom, dick and Harry in the world might have someone but I don't want to have anyone. Its that simple."  
  
"I don't have-" Phillona started but she broke off in the middle. Sifan couldn't help notice that the tone of her sentence was different from her usual one. She pulled herself away from him, slowly sliding her hands down his shoulders. She held both of Sifan's hands and looked up at him, "I loved the evening, Seef...Thank you..."  
  
"H-Hey..." he said lowering the pitch of his tone, "Something I s-said...?"  
  
"N-No..." she lied, "n-nothing...."  
  
"Well, I am sorry I danced like a wooden hat holder." Sifan said, and for the first time, he smiled at her but he wiped it away almost immediately.  
  
"No...you were great for a first attempt at dancing..." Phillona replied after watching Sifan's two-second smile.  
  
"So, Goodbye then..." Sifan said, careful not to mention Trex was paying him for the entire thing.  
  
"Goodnight...Seef." she whispered and made her way across the ballroom away from Sifan. He watched her disappear through the crowd and then proceeded to the other side of the room, slowly. He didn't like the way she had left him.... without her smile...  
  
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From the author: ok guys... There were about 158 visits to my fanfic on my hits list in the past 5 days and how many reviews I get? TWO! TWO Reviews...and I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO E-MAIL those two people my fanfic than to post it here and have everyone jus read it and scurry away without leaving a review! Ok ok...I am being a review-hungry dawg but hey...reviews are my fuel guys! If theres a drop in the quality of my fanfic..its because I am not getting any reviews...ok...uh...so I wont put up my fanfic if there are no more reviews...MAN I HATE THREATENING MY READERS FOR REVIEWS but hey, a mans gotta do what a mans gotta do..... but I ll ask nicely too, PLEASE give ittle wittle me your reviews often **puppy dog eyes**...cause if you don't'...-**demonic cat-like burning red eyes**...oh well just playing the fool...but I am not playing the fool with the reviews thingy... SO FOR GOD's SAKE PEOPLE! PLEASE POST MORE REVIEWS!!!! Or I'll...**Sigh**...you know the drawl... 


	24. CHAPTER 24

Chapter 24  
  
Sifan Leonhart and Avatar Fenis walked out of the elevator in to the Airship dock at the golden saucer. As soon as the dance was over, Avatar had caught up with Sifan outside the ballroom. They wanted to tell each other about their happenings but they decided to save it till they got back to their room at the Costa de sol inn. Sifan was about to proceed to the Costa de sol bound airship when Avatar caught Sifan by the arm, "Hey...Check that out..."  
  
Relafen Almasy was talking to Phillona Strife leaning his arm over her shoulder against the airship's metallic exterior. And the way he was ordering the airship crew between his conversations with Phillona, and the way the crew saluted him very time they saw him, it became evident that Relafen was in charge of the airship. Avatar sighed, "You know, that airship is Relafen's own?"  
  
"What?" Sifan said, surprised, "You mean t-that airship is his as in 'Relafen's Airship'..."  
  
"Yup..." Avatar said, "Trex told me after he saw me slug it out at the battle square for this baby."  
  
He took the dark katana blade's metal sword holder and kissed it, "Only problem is...it seems to be stuck inside the holder...oh well...I'll bet a little oil can do wonders..."  
  
Sifan sighed, but then his attention was even more focused on Relafen who was pretending to be growing elegant by the minute, in front of Phillona.  
  
Avatar seemed to have noticed too, "Hey, maybe it was just me but have you ever seen Mr. Graceful there talk to any girls back in balamb?"  
  
"Nope." Sifan replied, "Oh well, he's happier now and he's doing what he likes, I guess..."  
  
"Oh...how did your dance go...?" Avatar asked Sifan as the Elevator behind them slid open and Trex hurried out of it, "Well, actually, give me a second-by-second detail of it once we get back to our room..."  
  
Trex then tapped on Avatar's shoulder and got his attention, "Hi Avatar...."  
  
Sifan cleared his throat, "The money please..."  
  
Trex sighed, "Phillona's gonna kill me if she found out I am spending money from the Mideel treasury but hey...a deal is a deal..."  
  
"Mideel TREASURY?" Avatar cried, "Sifan! You can't-"  
  
"It's none of you business Avatar." Sifan said coolly, every word sounding as if it had been uttered by Squall Leonhart, "You have nothing to do with this the moment you left me for the dance..."  
  
Avatar sighed. Sifan was never a determined type but when he WAS determined, he knew he had a better chance of carrying a ruby dragon on his back than at changing Sifan's mind.   
  
Trex handed over the money to Sifan and then started to speak shaking his head in Relafen's direction, "See that Shin-Ra commander there?"  
  
"Yeah..." Sifan said, watching Relafen swell with pride when Phillona faked a giggle at his joke, "What about him...?"  
  
"Well, his name is Relafen, Phillona told me that he had offered her a ride back home in his airship during a short dance with her..." Trex said, "Well, of course, Phillona is the last person on earth to trust a Shin-Ra personnel but the fact is, getting back to Mideel tonight by airship is really an advantage considering we'll get there only by noon tomorrow if we take a ship by sea at Costa de sol tomorrow morning."  
  
"You can't trust Relafen..." Sifan said calmly, "believe us, you just can't. Don't be surprised if a whole bunch of Shin-Ra soldiers ambush you inside or if his pilot takes you somewhere else."  
  
"Hey, course we know that..." Trex replied, "When have we EVER trusted a Shin-Ra scum? But the problem is, you see, the informant told Phillona that they are planning an attack tonight and he had also heard Rupert telling Relafen to take the night off, meaning Relafen is no where in the plan to attack Mideel tonight."  
  
Sifan cringed a little when he saw Phillona look at him over Relafen's shoulder.   
  
"So...." Trex continued, "we HAVE to get back if we want to stop Shin-Ra tonight and Relafen's our last chance...and since the informant says Rupert had left Relafen out of the Mideel plan and he has nothing to do with it...Phillona's willing to take his offer..."  
  
It was evident to Sifan that Phillona was talking to Relafen about his offer to give them a ride back to Mideel. He smiled to himself.  
  
[And Relafen's thinking she likes him...]  
  
"Wait..." Avatar's eyes lit up, "That means...I'll come too...and help you guys with any attack on Mideel and then tomorrow morning, I can go to -Er- someplace that I've been wanting to go to..."  
  
Sifan knew Avatar was referring to the Fenis guardian, "Fine..." he said, knowing how badly his friend wanted to go there, "I'll meet you in Aquadia hotel tomorrow evening..."  
  
Avatar nodded, "Take care of yourself...see ya around..."  
  
He and Trex both rushed away towards Relafen who was leading Phillona up to the airship. When Relafen saw Avatar, he scowled a little but straightened up when Phillona said something. Then, the four of them disappeared into the airship. In a few seconds, its engine whirred into life and it lifted off the ground, its propellers making a wind-hacking noise. Before he knew it, it sped away in the air, leaving Sifan to just stare at the starless sky.  
  
"Hey..." came a voice from behind him. He turned around and saw a beautiful woman stand in front of him. The Shin-Ra emblem on the shoulder plate of her attire glowed in the lights of the golden saucer. A little far away, the megaphone from the airship bound to Costa de sol announced that it would leave in 10 minutes.  
  
"Yeah?" Sifan asked, looking at the red-haired girl, who was examining him for sometime. He also noticed that she had a metallic silver claw at the end of her arm.  
  
"Hmm...." She smiled, "The guy who won the battle square 'blade warrior' contest a few minutes ago.... your friend?"  
  
Sifan nodded, "Yeah...what about him..."  
  
"He was good." She replied, "Very good..."  
  
"I know..." Sifan replied calmly, "Is that what you wanted to tell me?"  
  
"Well...I thought that I could meet him and ask him where he learnt to fight like that...Never seen a guy so...handsome either..." she said smiling, "The name's General Keiara..."  
  
Sifan took a step back, "Shin-Ra, huh?"  
  
"Sigh..." Keiara heaved a long breath, "don't look at me like that..."  
  
"Well..." Sifan said, "When another General like you and -ahem- a commander from Shin-Ra kidnap a scientist under my nose...you expect me to look at you with respect?"  
  
  
  
"I am not like Rupert..." She replied, "And I don't have commanders as my lapdogs either..."  
  
"Well...don't get your hopes up as far as my handsome friend is concerned..." Sifan said as he walked away from her, "He doesn't take Shin-Ra women..."  
  
  
  
*************************  
  
In the middle of the night, a Shin-Ra airship slowly settled down on the rocky ground near the northern crater. The door slide open and a rope ladder dropped down through which a man descended. Professor Lorenz set his foot on the ground, his teeth clattering from the chilly winds that blew across the air in the northern continent. As he stood hugging himself with his scrawny arms for warmth, General Keiara descended down the ropes and stood near Lorenz. And then a couple of Shin-Ra soldiers followed soon  
  
As one of the soldiers loaded his gun, General Keiara started to speak, "Let me see that order from the president, Lorenz."  
  
Lorenz took out a folded paper from his coat pocket and handed it to Keiara, "What makes you think I'd fake one, General?"  
  
She read it intently for a while and threw it back to Lorenz, "It's just that how come you didn't bring your regular crony, Rupert with you...?"  
  
Lorenz replied in a composed manner, "Your abilities are required for this venture, General Keiara. Rupert is busy with some plan to take Mideel."  
  
"Hmm...talking of Mideel..." Keiara sighed, "This is the hundredth time, isn't it?"  
  
"Yes, he had failed a number of times, I guess..." Lorenz said.   
  
Keiara sighed, "Rupert was always just a big tub of lard anyway...underestimating almost everything and anything..."  
  
"I hate to interrupt your Rupert thrashing speech Keiara but there's a job to be done..." Lorenz said as they began to walk towards the mouth of the crater, "Please lead the way..."  
  
Keiara gestured to her soldiers to follow her and they slowly descended down the spiral rocky path leading down to the bottom of the immensely huge lifestream lake.  
  
"So..." Keiara said, "How come you got permission to be here from the northern continent government anyway?"  
  
Lorenz followed the three people in front of them slowly, hoping no monsters attack them, "Well...I told the government head in this continent that we wanted to just take a lifestream sample for discovering it's...er...healing properties..."  
  
He didn't mention that he had said the same thing to the Shin-Ra president as well.  
  
"Healing, huh?" Keiara said sarcastically, "and that lovely, its-all-for-the-welfare-of-the-people attitude got you the permission, huh?"  
  
"Yes..." Lorenz replied, "Or else we would have been missiled to death by now..."  
  
"I know that, Lorenz..." Keiara replied, "Well...What are you planning to do with the lifestream we are gonna take anyway...?"  
  
"None of your business, Keiara." Lorenz said coldly, "You've been ordered by the president to protect me while I collect the lifestream. And you shall stick to that objective alone..."  
  
Lorenz and Keiara were the last persons inside Shin-Ra who had gotten along with each other. And both of them knew that perfectly.  
  
"It wouldn't take long to let an iron giant slaughter you..." Keiara said quietly as they reached the halfway point of their spiral path, "...and report to HQ saying things got out of control..."  
  
Lorenz was about to reply when a deafening hiss sounded from behind a towering rock. And then a dragon slowly walked outside it, keen to make an early breakfast of the visitors.  
  
"Get your worthless butt behind us, Lorenz..." Keiara shouted as the dragon advanced towards them with a menacing look, "don't try anything stupid..."  
  
Lorenz muttered to himself and did as he was told.   
  
Keiara threw her cloak away and stood in front of the dragon, her soldiers on either side. The dragon seemed to be an impatient one. It charged at one soldier and pummeled him hard with its small but sharp horns. He hit the rocky wall behind him and fell down, unconscious and blood oozing from where the horns had punctured his skin. The other soldier hit the dragon with a barrage of bullets but it's thick hide made it impossible for the bullets to pierce through it. It then turned around and whacked the soldier who had fired at it with its long and scaly tail. He went sprawling across the pathway and fell down into the lifestream lake, screaming. Keiara rushed at the dragon and then raised her metallic claw and buried it inside the dragon's neck and dragged it down its long windpipe as hard as she could, and then retreated, blood dripping from her claws.   
  
"Let's see you breathe fire now...Dragon boy..." she said and then took a step back and cast a protect spell on herself. As far as spells went, Keiara's speed was unmatched; she had the agility to cast a chain of powerful spells in a minute's time if she wished. She took a step forward and then rendered the dragon almost unconscious with an ultima spell. But unconsciousness was not what she wanted...what she wanted of course, was death.  
  
She then raised her hand and summoned...using the materia she took from the boiled body of the Wutai resistance group members she had encountered the previous night. Leviathan appeared soon, looking down at the large dragon, which was bleeding profusely from its neck. He let out an ear-shattering holler and soon, hot steaming water burst out of cracks on the wall and shot out at the dragon. It roared painfully as the heat from the water scalded its hide. And then a segment of the rocky wall broke and a large jet of hissing water pushed the dragon out of the path and it fell to its doom. Leviathan disappeared as soon as he saw the dragon had died before he had even started his tidal wave attack.   
  
Keiara sighed when she saw that the only soldier who was left had already bled to death. A very terrified Lorenz scampered out from the shadows.  
  
"Are all you scientists such cowards?" Keiara asked as they proceeded to the bottom of the northern crater.  
  
"Our science is what..." Lorenz pointed to the claw on her hand, "...keeps you alive, Keiara..."  
  
Keiara stopped moving. She turned around to Lorenz and saw him straight in the eye, "Alive...Lorenz? I am alive like every other human, aint I LORENZ?"  
  
Lorenz looked a little scared, "I-I am sorry...Keiara...calm down...too much adrenaline...c-can...t-trigger...your...o-other s-side..."  
  
Keiara let out an angry heave of breath and closed her eyes for while. After a few seconds, she opened them and then continued to walk to the lifestream lake at the bottom of the crater, Lorenz tagging along in her wake.  
  
As soon as they arrived upon the lifestream lake, Lorenz ran to its edge and searched all across the lake, his eyes moving wildly and then he let out a laugh that sounded more like an explosion. He had looked all over the lake and had then found it trickling along the edge of the lake near his own two feet. The red lifestream didn't glow as brightly as the other green lifestreams. Neither did it behave like them. It slowly moved along the edge of the lake, in a mysterious way. Lorenz then pulled out a cylindrical canister from his pocket, which had a small keypad at its side. He dipped the canister in to the lifestream and then typed in the wavelength of the color red on the keypad. And then, the canister whirred and clicked for sometime and soon enough, the red lifestream inched it's way into the canister, rising to it's top, slowly.  
  
"Whoever invented this spectra-separator is a GENIUS, eh Keiara?" Lorenz blurted out excitedly as he felt the canister grow heavy from the red lifestream.   
  
Keiara yawned, "Hurry up Lorenz..."  
  
Satisfied that he had stored away the entire red lifestream in the lake in to his canister, he followed Keiara up the path they had come down. He mumbled excitedly to Keiara as they continued to walk away from the lake, "I bet you're probably wondering how it all fitted into a single canister, Keiara...."  
  
"I am not..." she replied but Lorenz persisted, "You see...Lifestream is actually a kind of a long thread in a liquid form...it cant be broken and scattered here and there...it flows in it's entirety. Against popular beliefs that lifestream is a never-ending stream of lives, the truth is each ended life is a lifestream...flowing with other lifestreams...the one I have here...for example...is the lifestream of..."  
  
He stopped suddenly making Keiara looked at him strangely.   
  
He cleared his throat and continued, "They are so thin and united in their manner of flow that they can't be separated, but this one is a diff-"  
  
An iron giant came stomping out of a shadowy, dark corner and stared at the two of them with his tiny red eyes. He raised his humungous sword and let out a battle holler. His angry footstep towards them made Lorenz flinch and take a few steps back. Keiara calmly summoned another guardian force from the materia she had recently won from the chocobo races at the golden saucer.   
  
The iron giant stomped his way towards them in order to get a clear view of his puny opponents, but he was baffled to see them missing. But instead of two tiny humans in front of him, on a six-legged horse sat the undead warrior, Odin, with his Zantetsuken blade wielded in his hand.  
  
************************** 


	25. CHAPTER 25

Chapter 25  
  
It was all too strange for Sifan Leonhart. And the feeling of being there, his own hands looking like a ghost's, made him even more confused. There was only darkness but he started to walk. He continued to walk until his legs grew tired. He was panting hard but stopped when he saw a glimpse of two figures a few feet ahead of him. He kept walking, not sure why, in the direction of the two figures and soon, he saw them at close range.   
  
A handsome, blonde spiky-haired warrior stood holding his glimmering, diamond-like blade, which had a handle that was shaped like an eagle. Sifan had studied about the sword in garden, and then he remembered, it was the called the 'ultimate weapon'. The warrior's eyes were bright...a rather bright...blue. He stared furiously at the other man in front of him. Neither of them seemed to have seen Sifan. The other man, Sifan noticed was as handsome as the first, if not more. He had shiny silver hair that fluttered behind him. A couple of long strands of hair stretched down either side of his face. His eyes were, like the warrior, unusually bright but green. A green that made Sifan's heart quiver. And the way he stared down at the warrior, it was evident and clear as crystal, his gaze was simply filled with nothing but evil. In his hand was a long and shiny metallic masamune. Neither of them moved. And then Sifan saw the warrior take a step forward and lift his sword. And then many auras rushed into it and made it glow brighter than ever. Sifan's eyes widened with recognition. There was no doubt...absolutely none...in Sifan's mind that his father charged his Lionheart the same manner. And then, the warrior leapt in to the evil one's space. And what followed was simply, a wild carnage of sword shots. The man with the long silver hair and gleaming green eyes could only spit out blood as it rained slashes and cuts on his body. He bled...all across his face...but the warrior didn't stop...he continued to nail him with piercing swings...and then he leapt in to the air, his sword raised over his head and landed the final blow. The evil one staggered back, blood dripping from almost every inch in his body. His feet lifted slowly from the ground and then he disappeared in a way of light. The blonde-haired warrior was then surrounded by many lifestreams...all that had come out of the evil one's body. Sifan kept watching. The warrior then sheathed his sword on his back and walked to a small light that had appeared ahead of him. From the light, the hand of a woman reached out. He reached out for it too. But then...Sifan felt his body drawn to the warrior's. As he floated towards him, the warrior's body became translucent and disappeared. And then to his horror, Sifan noticed his hands become real and his body was no more ghost-like. He watched the light from where the hand had reached out to the warrior fade without a sound. It all went dark again, and a death silence prevailed. And then...there was a laugh. An arrogant, loud and confident laugh. Sifan slowly turned around. And in front of him stood, the evil one the warrior had slain. Not a trace of blood was in his body and his eyes were burning greener that ever and they were focused on his own. He could feel it. And then he slid it out from his side...a long...a very long sword that Sifan knew to be the masamune. He walked towards Sifan, his footsteps echoing in his head. He bore a casual but an evil smirk on his face. Sifan could only watch...he was not armed. A feeling of hopelessness overcame Sifan and then, the next thing he knew...his assailant had run into him, laughing, and half of the masamune had disappeared...right through Sifan's stomach...  
  
Sifan sat up straight in his bed, sweat trickling down the sides of his face. He was breathing wildly and his heart was beating like it had been tormented. He leaned across his bed and switched on the lights. His coat lay on the tea table beside him and only the shirt he had worn inside for the dance covered his torso. He watched the clock that stood ticking with both its hands on the number one. After washing his face in the sink inside the lavatory, he walked over to the end of his room in the costal de sol inn, and flung open the balcony doors. A cold wind blew through his hair, in a comforting manner and dried his face. He felt the salty smell of the sea enter his nostrils. He swallowed hard as he clenched the edge of the balcony and watched a lighthouse at a distance turn it's lights. Earlier that day, Lyris had made him promise that he would accept what she told him that night if she gave him a chocobo. Sifan had agreed but then Sifan had inadvertently scared away the chocobo. However, he knew that he still had to keep his promise. The promise that he would have to accept what Lyris would tell him. But Sifan had fallen asleep very early. As early as nine o' clock. The moment he had slipped into his bed, he had started to sleep peacefully...until the nightmare...  
  
[Was the nightmare the thing Lyris wanted me to accept...? b-but she said...she would tell it to me...not SHOW it to me...]  
  
There was no reply from Lyris.   
  
  
  
**************************  
  
Relafen's airship was huge and Avatar took most of the time during the trip to Mideel taking a quick tour. Shin-Ra emblems were of course engraved everywhere in the steel. On the walls, on the doors and everything Avatar came across. He still couldn't figure out how Relafen had been made commander and given an entire airship. He never did like Relafen and traveling in his airship only soured his mood. Sighing heavily, he came out through a door leading out of a cabin when he heard Relafen's voice. Avatar didn't move as Phillona's voice replied something. Avatar flattened himself to the wall and waited around the corner to eavesdrop. Avatar didn't hear any footsteps and he was sure that they were just standing in one place.  
  
"Nice airship, eh Phillona?" Relafen said a bit of pride vibrating in his voice, "Shin-Ra's pretty nice at taking care of their commanders..."  
  
Phillona was silent for a while when Relafen spoke, "I-I am s-sorry...it's just that having an airship and this post and all...it's made me quite boastful..."  
  
"Well...I guess its hard not to boast when you have your own airship..." Phillona replied.  
  
Avatar's lips tightened. He didn't understand why Phillona was being nice to Relafen. She got her trip to Mideel and there was no necessity for her to be nice to him... Avatar thought. Unless of course, she really likes him...Avatar continued to think...yeah right, Relafen's got a rat's ass of a chance getting Phillona to like him.  
  
"So...um..." Relafen continued, his voice not cocky as it usually was, "Y-You're beautiful...you know that...?"  
  
Avatar couldn't help but snigger a little. He peeked around the corner and saw Phillona's reaction. She had simply smiled and said, "Thank you..."  
  
Avatar wanted to avoid the risk of being seen but since Relafen had ordered all his crew to the ends of the airship, and since Relafen and Phillona were not looking in his direction, he decided to keep sneaking a peek. What tickled Avatar's funny bone really was the fact that Relafen was acting like a melted bit of chocolate when back in balamb, he was as hard as stone.   
  
"So...it was really nice of you to give us a ride to Mideel, commander..." Phillona said very artificially, "I am very grateful..."  
  
Avatar could see Relafen's smile broaden so much that he was afraid his face would get disfigured, "Call me Relafen...drop the commander bit, will you?"  
  
"Ok..." Phillona replied, "Thank you Relafen..."  
  
"Least I can do for a beautiful girl like you..." Relafen said, beaming at the prospect of her calling him by his name.  
  
Avatar almost burst out laughing but he contained his glee. And then, the way Relafen's eyes became dreamy, it became clear to Avatar that Relafen was infatuated as hell with Phillona. It wouldn't be long before he'd burst out to her about his feelings. And to Avatar's surprise, it happened the very next second.  
  
"Ph-Phillona..." Relafen stuttered, "I think I'll come out with it straight.... I... the minute I saw you, Phillona...I ...fell for you..."  
  
Avatar's eyes quickly turned to Phillona who looked quite pale, "I...Well...Relafen..."  
  
"Please..." Relafen cut in, a sad tone of pleading in his voice, "W-We...can...be together...I can...I mean...I want you...you're so..."  
  
Phillona was silently looking at the floor, much to Avatar's disappointment. He was wishing she would smash Relafen's heart to bits by telling him to get lost.  
  
Relafen continued to beg, "I...I can stop em' Phillona...from e-ever attacking Mideel...I'll a-ask the president..."  
  
Avatar was as shocked as Phillona. Relafen was the last person to know about the Mideel thing, according to Trex.  
  
"Y-You know...about Mideel and m-me...?" Phillona said looking up at him, "That I-"  
  
"I know...everything..." Relafen said, "I overheard Rupert talking to his soldiers...you're the resistance leader right? And every soldier's been directed to arrest you at first sight...I...I ordered the ones deployed to the gold saucer to stay away from y-you...  
  
Phillona swallowed hard, "Relafen...I..."  
  
He continued to talk, "And...I know they're planning to attack Mideel in a few hours time...That's why I am taking you back...s-so...you can save Mideel..."  
  
"Y-You could lose your position...Relafen...helping us..." Phillona said looking at him.  
  
"I don't think anyone saw us take off..." Relafen replied, "and I gave all the soldiers who were supposed to keep a look out for you at the saucer the night off."  
  
Phillona looked as if she would throw herself around Relafen and hug him. But she stood her ground, "Thanks..."  
  
Relafen took a step towards her and took her hands in his, "All I am asking is...please...be mine...I-I could...give you everything...I'll talk to the president about Mideel, I'll take you a-around the w-world...please just..."  
  
Avatar knew Relafen had gone totally around the bend over Phillona. Avatar gave himself a soft slap on his forehead. Sifan would probably die of surprise if he saw all this...He thought.  
  
Phillona cleared her throat, "I...I need to drink some water please...uh...alone..."  
  
Relafen pointed to a cabin at the other end of the airship. Phillona smiled at him and left to the cabin and disappeared into it. Avatar grinned in an evil manner. This was the perfect time to do it. To play the devil, and irritate the hell out of Relafen. He walked around the corner with a smug grin at Relafen, who was looking at the ground in thought.  
  
Relafen looked up when he heard footsteps, saw Avatar's grin and then, turned white, "F-Fenis! Don't tell m-me you were..."  
  
"So..." Avatar said twitching his neck, "Relafee's gone soft eh...?"   
  
"Damn you, Fenis..." Relafen snapped, "The hell were you doing eavesdropping? I woulda had you chucked out if it hadn't been for Phillona..."  
  
Avatar grinned, "Head over heels over Sifan's angel, I see..."  
  
"L-Leonhart's WHAT!?" Relafen cried, an utter look of anger and misery appearing on his face, "You're bullshitting me, Fenis! I know that..."  
  
"Hey..." Avatar said calmly, "The way she walked out to -ahem- drink water...isn't it obvious, Sifan's the only one she cares about?"  
  
"Can't be, Fenis..." Relafen replied, "It's been just a day...Precious Leonhart's a wuss when it comes to women anyway...Hell, no way...he coulda got her...in one day..."  
  
"Sigh...Denial's not gonna get you anywhere kid..." Avatar continued, "You were at the dance, weren't you...?"  
  
Relafen gulped. Sifan had snatched Phillona right under his nose. Moreover, when Relafen had walked back across the ballroom in hope of finding her alone, minutes later, he had found her dancing with Sifan, she was dancing much closer than he had expected. He had walked away, determined to catch up with her after the dance. Sighing, he looked up at a grinning Avatar.  
  
"You don't have a chance with her...Relafen..." Avatar said applying salt to fresh wounds, "She ...-ahem-" he made a mock tone of Relafen's voice, "belongs to 'Precious Leonhart'..."   
  
"No!" Relafen shouted, his dislike for Sifan in his chest burning like fire, "Leonhart can't take EVERYTHING, Fenis! Not everything..."  
  
Avatar chuckled, "Why not, Relafen? Sifan's always took everything away from you. Back at garden...he had recognition, fame, fans, girls craving for him, instructors willing to take him up while you...sigh...you were just another brick in the wall..."  
  
Relafen burned with fury, "And all...because..."  
  
"...He was son of Squall Leonhart..." Avatar completed, and continued though his conscience was telling him he was going a bit too far "And then of course...Ultimecia's fallen knight, Seifer Almasy somehow managed to have a son who-"  
  
Avatar didn't see Relafen's Gunblade coming, it caught him right across his cheek, sending him staggering backwards and clenching his cheek, blood oozing through his fingers. Avatar swiped out his katana, but before he could advance at Relafen, a dazzling white flash blinded him and when everything returned to its usual brightness, Avatar felt his heart stop with shock.   
  
Relafen Almasy was curled on the ground, and near him stood the Fenis guardian, his foot on Relafen's chest and his sword raised over his head, ready to pin Relafen's heart to the metal floor of that airship.  
  
**************************** 


	26. CHAPTER 26

Chapter 26  
  
"No!" Avatar screamed as the Fenis guardian's sword stopped inches from Relafen's heart, "Don't TOUCH HIM!"  
  
The Fenis guardian turned to Avatar, his blood red eyes filled with amazement. He took a step back from Relafen and then disappeared in a swirl of smoke, leaving a very afraid Shin-Ra commander and a shocked Avatar alone. Avatar sheathed his sword and walked over to Relafen and reached out his hand, "L-Let's just forget this whole th-"  
  
Relafen slapped away Avatar's hand and stood up on his own, slowly. The blood on Avatar's cheek continued to flow copiously as he clenched it with his hand. Phillona stopped in her tracks when she appeared around the corner and saw Avatar bleeding. She rushed over to Avatar and cast a cure spell on him, stopping his bleeding. But a red streak remained across his face as she began to speak, "It's not deep...else...my spell wouldn't have stopped it..."  
  
She took a step back when Relafen sheathed his sword. She realized it was Relafen who had drawn blood but before she could say anything, Avatar cut in, "It wasn't his fault..."  
  
Phillona sighed, "You hurt yourself then, Avatar?"  
  
Avatar didn't reply. He just walked away towards a metal ladder at a corner leading to the chocobo stables, where Trex was taking a peaceful nap. Relafen was quiet too, still trying to cope with what he had seen. But it vanished from his mind, when he saw Phillona look at him. She tilted her head sideways, "You don't look too good either...what h-happened...?"  
  
  
  
"Nothing..." Relafen lied, "W-We were just...uh...practicing..."  
  
"Oh..." she said, a relieved tone in her voice, "So you and Avatar are just friends who practiced a bit too hard...and-"  
  
"No..." Relafen replied in a cold manner recalling how the Fenis guardian had looked, "Me and Sifan's buddy along with his pal...are far from friendship, Phillona...far far from it..."  
  
Phillona realized what Relafen had meant, "That's why you went away from them, huh? Found your own way out of the forest that you, Avatar and Seef landed up in...didn't quite want to hang out with them, I guess..."  
  
"Yeah...you get the point..." Relafen said, getting rid of the thought that he might have died a minute ago under the Fenis guardian's blade, "Well, I didn't know we were warped to some other world, jus' thought I'd find my own way back home...I didn't need those two bums..."  
  
"What do you hate about Seef, Relafen?" Phillona said slowly, "He doesn't seem the type that-"  
  
"SEEF, huh?" Relafen hissed, "Cute name ya have for YOUR Leonhart..."  
  
She spoke firmly, "Sifan's not...'mine', ok?"  
  
"Look..." he said straightening up, "I am sorry..."  
  
"............................."   
  
"So..." he said quietly, "Have you...er...thought about what I..."  
  
"I am sorry, Relafen..." she started, "But..."  
  
"But I am in love with Seef..." Relafen snapped, "THAT'S IT. Isn't it?"  
  
"What!?" She cried, "W-Who told you t-that?"  
  
"Fenis..."  
  
"He lied..." she replied, "Avatar loves to play...y-you should know that better than me, you know..."  
  
"..........................."  
  
"Anyway... as far as you and me, Relafen..." she said, "You won't like...a few things about me...and..."  
  
"I like everything about you Phillona!" Relafen cried as the airship hovered over Mideel in the dark night sky, "W-Why cant you just..."  
  
"Sorry..." she cut in, "I appreciate everything you've done but a relationship is ...out of the question..."  
  
"Goodbye...and sorry again..." she said and turned around slowly.  
  
"Don't give me that crap about a relationship with me being out of the question!" Relafen exploded from hurt as she walked away from him, "You were dancing so close to Leonhart! AM I ANY LESSER COMPARED TO HIM, DAMMIT!? AM I?"  
  
"Phillona!" he shouted but she just hurried away towards the airship's exit as the Shin-Ra air vehicle slowly came to rest on the plains outside Mideel.  
  
Relafen hung his head and slowly made his way to his cabin. He banged the door shut behind him and fell on his bed. He thought about how Phillona had closed her eyes and rested her face against Sifan's chest. A newly born hatred for Sifan ignited in him, "Someday dad...I'll put a Leonhart to shame..."   
  
*****************************  
  
Sifan waited, the clock in his inn room struck two. He was hoping badly that Lyris would barge in to his head like she usually did when he least expected it. However, his thoughts were the only things that were ringing in his head. Lyris' smooth feminine voice was nowhere to be heard.   
  
He felt cold, alone and weary like the way he had in his SeeD field exam. When he was in that ice continent to rescue the stranded white SeeDs. Avatar wasn't beside him either. He didn't like the feeling though he had always wished to be alone. It suddenly wasn't all that easy being unaccompanied...at least, not after he had seen the nightmare that had so easily shook his mind...and for the first time in his new world, Sifan felt anxiety...   
  
The fact that Lyris had told him to accept what she'd tell him that night again pricked his mind.  
  
[If I AM SUPPOSED to accept the nightmare about me dying with a m-masamune through m-my guts...then that's like...asking me to accept...I've been brought here...to...be killed...]   
  
He shuddered at the way he had seen the masamune's blade go through his stomach. It looked so real. And then, the way his mind was numbed with dread when he saw those bright eyes of the masamune wielder...burning fiery green...   
  
{Scary...wasn't he, kiddo?}  
  
[Lyris! Man, am I glad to hear you...]  
  
{Sigh...I guess there's always a first time for everything, huh?}  
  
Sifan chuckled, a feeling of comfort and assurance coming across him.  
  
[Well...There was this nightmare I j-just had-]  
  
{I know...}  
  
[I-Is that what you wanted to tell me...?]  
  
{Well, sort of...}  
  
[That I am gonna die, killed by s-some...]  
  
{No, no...you're not going to die, Sifan...stop jumping to conclusions...}  
  
[T-Then what did all that mean...?]  
  
{Would you believe me if I told you...?}  
  
[I'll do my best...]  
  
{Well, here we go...}  
  
[.....................]  
  
{That blonde-haired warrior who you saw...}  
  
[The one who did those sword slashes...?]  
  
{He was Phillona Strife's father...Cloud Strife...}  
  
[Yeah...it didn't occur to me then...but now I do recall a picture of him back in Mideel...]  
  
{He was as strong as your father Sifan...}  
  
[I kinda figured that out too...and I bet he killed that green-eyed guy...like Dad killed Ultimecia...]  
  
{True...but Cloud's opponent surpasses the strongest form of Ultimecia...}  
  
[What's his name, Lyris? That green-eyed...one's...name...]  
  
{..........................}  
  
[Hey...something wrong?]  
  
{N-No...well, h-his name I-Is....... Sephiroth....}  
  
Sifan felt a twinge of discomfort when Lyris' voice stuttered. What unnerved him even more was that she had stuttered out of plain dread.  
  
[OK...so...about my nightmare now...]  
  
{Well, Sifan...what you saw, actually happened twenty years ago...Sephiroth had wanted to destroy the world and absorb all the life stream and become powerful beyond his wildest dreams...}  
  
[Cloud killed him off before that could happen, huh?]  
  
{Yes...out of personal and other motives...Sephiroth was killed by his, supposedly 'Imperfect' Clone, Cloud...}  
  
[C-Clone...?]  
  
{Yes...Lets just pass the details for now...}  
  
[Ok...]  
  
{Anyway, Sifan...what really pertains in your dream is what happened after cloud killed his enemy...}  
  
[I was drawn...to cloud's body...I floated to the place where he was standing...b-but then...he disappeared...and...my body became real...]  
  
{Now say that a little briefly...}  
  
[Cloud disappeared and I appeared...and then...S-Seph...the green-eyed...man... returned...]  
  
{In other words...Sifan...you TOOK Cloud Strife's place...}  
  
[Cloud died...?]  
  
{Yes...a couple of years later after his wife gave birth to Phillona...he...was a true hero...but even heroes have to die...}  
  
[So...I...am the one called to...to...take cloud's place...and face a reawakened S-Sephiroth...]  
  
{Yes...}   
  
[I am not believing this...ANY OF IT...]  
  
{Well...the 'being drawn' feeling you had in your dream signified...your traveling from your world to this one...you took Cloud's place...Sifan...this is...your destiny....}  
  
[NO...I...I can't...]  
  
{It will take a long time...Sifan. You will have to ready yourself with everything...equip yourself...Physically...mentally...and emotionally.}  
  
[How will I know where to go? How will I know what to do, huh?]  
  
{Things...will work themselves out...and believe me...you'll know...but then...seeing through the future will be in your hands...only.}  
  
Sifan was drowning...it was all too much. There he was...a few days before...sitting in the balamb garden balcony...sipping on his glass of champagne. And now...he was drowning in a pool of unrealistic revelations...  
  
[But then...in my dream...I died...]  
  
{Only because you've not yet prepared yourself...trust me, you shouldn't let that affect you...}  
  
[...Lyris...Why me...?]  
  
{Because...the blood of the Lionheart...flows through you...}  
  
[I am nowhere as strong as Dad...]  
  
{Along your journey through this world...you'll find strength, courage, and love...}  
  
[L-Love...?]  
  
{Even the lionheart needed his angel...forgot so soon, Sifan?]  
  
[...............]  
  
{Don't worry...I'll be with you...unless...}  
  
[Unless what?]  
  
{ ...................}  
  
[Fine...don't tell me...]  
  
{Sorry...I'll tell you some day...}  
  
Sifan sighed. A drowsy feeling started to overcome him slowly.  
  
[Good night, Lyris...It's all too much for me...I need to sleep...]  
  
{Yeah...goodnight, kiddo...}  
  
Sifan walked away to his bed...he pulled the bed cover over himself and stared at the ceiling. He closed his eyes and hoped to fade off to sleep though at the back of his mind, he knew, Sephiroth was coming....  
  
************************  
  
Professor Hojo pranced up and down the plains outside Nibelheim. All the merchants chattering and the people babbling about AVALANCHE had driven him insane and he had to come out of town to concentrate. So he stood leaning on a rock, scribbling away on his notepad. He was still angry with President Rufus that he had given two of the three passwords for the JENOVA project to Hamilton. But he let it slip away and pushed his crooked spectacles up his stick-like nose. His round face seemed oddly suited to the ragged ponytail he had made out of his badly kept hair. As far as people were concerned, he was just another scientist who was out of his rocker.  
  
He was about to turn the page on his notepad when a sound behind him made him jump to his feet. He was afraid it would be a hippogriff but he decided to take a look. He turned around and standing on his tiptoe, looked over the rock he had been leaning on. His eyebrows relaxed when he saw it was just a small girl who was lying unconscious. In the shadows behind her were two fully-grown men lying dead with their eyes open. He walked over to her and bent down and touched the girl's wrist...she was still alive. He saw the two men who were lying motionless near her, he easily came to the conclusion that they were dead just by looking at them. He cast an earth spell, which ripped the earth near them apart and caused a pit on the ground. He then kicked the two corpses of the two men in to the pit. He put the girl's body across his shoulder and walked over to a large boulder near the pit and cast another earth spell at the ground under it. The boulder shook and then slowly moved towards the pit and sealed it. Hojo smiled slyly at the sound of the two bodies being flattened by the boulder.  
  
An hour later in a dim lit room, the girl opened her eyes slowly, "M-Mom....?"   
  
And then she realized that her mother was no more alive. She rubbed her childish brown eyes and sat up. She looked at the room around her. It was filled with dark green radiance from what looked like age-old green lamps stuck on the wall. She saw a shelf of books ahead of her on either side of a small pathway that led to another room. She let out a gasp when she saw that, beside her, a few feet away was a large cylindrical glass structure filled with a green liquid. But what really gave her a shudder was the completely naked human body that was floating inside, bobbing up and down with an oxygen mask fit to it's face. She slowly got down from the table on which she woke up and moved closer to the structure, her heart pounding. She had no idea where she was but all she knew was she had been taken somewhere else and the last person she saw was her mother, covered in blood and almost at death. She let another tear drop down her face and pushed her red hair aside. She looked nervously at a small steel plaque fixed at the bottom of the cylinder that contained the human. On it was engraved the words, "Project dark matter 1: Vincent Valentine."  
  
The girl swallowed hard and turned away from what she had just seen. But before she could completely turn away, her eyes fell on another cylinder similar to the one she had seen. However, it was empty and the plaque just read, "Reserved for Project dark matter 2." And then suddenly, she found herself staring at a man with a white coat, a pair of odd spectacles on a round face and a ragged ponytail. He smiled an awkward smile, "Hello, little girl."  
  
She didn't reply anything.   
  
Hojo continued, "I want to help you my child. I found you lying outside town..."  
  
"W-Were there anyone else with me...?" she asked, in a shaky voice.  
  
"No..." Hojo lied and put a hand in his white coat pocket and moved towards the girl, "You're very sick, child, your health is a matter of concern but don't worry, I'll have you fixed in no time."  
  
The girl didn't feel anything wrong with her health though she felt depressed. Hojo advanced towards her as he took out an injection from his pocket, "Now...stay still..."  
  
The girl was an epitome of innocence and little did she think the man who had 'saved' her would be of any threat to her. She simply nodded as Hojo injected the syringe carefully in to her arm, "Tell your name for me, child."  
  
She told him her name. He smiled as he rubbed her hand with a piece of cotton, "That's a lovely name and how old are you?"  
  
"Twelve." She replied innocently as the man took a nearby diary and started scribbling on it.  
  
"And your mother's name darling...?"  
  
After answering him, she watched his smile grow wider, and then, slowly, her eyesight became obscure and before she knew anything else, she blacked out completely.  
  
Hojo just smiled casually as he continued to scribble in his diary,   
  
'I have finally found a subject for Project dark matter 2. As necessary, the subject is only 12 years old giving the second dark matter project a higher probability of succeeding than the first one. However, it seems to be more advisable to keep the second project running for at least 6 years from now after which, of course...I'll transfer her to liquid nitrogen to stop her further aging.... Vincent valentine will be coffined and stored away as I have decided that I cannot expect further results from him. It is expected he will still have his memory but he will never wake up to recall anything. Or so I believe..."  
  
He lifted the girl up after placing down the clipboard and pressed a button under the vacant cylinder. The top cover slid open. He pulled an oxygen mask from inside the cylinder's wall and placed it on the girl's mouth and nose. He lifted the girl and after ridding her of her clothes slumped her in to the glass cylinder. He closed the cylinder using the button he had pressed to open it. He pressed another switch and a green fluid poured in through the hole and filled the cylinder. Hojo smirked widely and returned to his diary, 'Project dark matter 1 will be ended today and the subject, Valentine will be coffined. Project dark matter 2 is now under way, subject is 12 years old and her name, Keiara, daughter of a certain Ultimecia..."  
  
  
  
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From the author: ok guys...remember...PLEASE REVIEW....REVIEW REVIEEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't wanna threaten ya guys again./..i am too chweet... ^_^ 


	27. CHAPTER 27

Chapter 27  
  
A small teardrop from her eye fell on the page of her diary, as Phillona Strife continued to write, "I didn't want to hurt Relafen but I had to tell him the truth. A relationship is something I've never thought of with anyone, ever since Buganhagen died after telling me that he wasn't my father. And then maybe a couple of years ago, the only thing that looked like a relationship was the one between Gerard and me. And even though Gerard said he...loved me...he left to Shin-Ra, volunteering to be our spy.... the way he left so quickly and suddenly without even telling me his decision...it felt as if I never existed to him...And from then onwards, I'd made up my mind, not to have any more relationships...because they hurt...only hurt... and today...the pained look on Relafen's face when I turned him down...was...so...upsetting...I..."  
  
Another tear trickled down her face, and she wiped it away quickly, "I don't think...that as long as I am afraid of getting hurt...I'll never love anyone..."  
  
The door swung open and Avatar almost fell through it, panting, "Shin-Ra!"  
  
Phillona shut her diary quickly and tossed it into a drawer on her table and followed Avatar outside. At a distance, a Shin-Ra airship had already landed and the soldiers were running towards Mideel followed by more of their kind. Then in the middle, a bulky man hopped outside, a wide grin on his face. General Rupert seemed strangely delighted. More Shin-Ra soldiers followed him.  
  
As Avatar and Phillona ran out of Mideel towards the plain where Marlene and Trex stood waiting, Avatar looked at Phillona, "Don't cry over turning Relafen down, you had to...believe me, he'll get over it...besides, you couldn't possibly start one with a Shin-Ra commander, could you?"  
  
She looked surprised at the fact that Avatar had seen through her. Avatar calmly mumbled, "Your eyes were watery...Kinda figured it out..."  
  
"Whatever, Avatar, Stopping Shin-Ra is more important as of now ..." Phillona replied.  
  
"You say 'whatever' like my buddy, you know..." Avatar said as the both of them arrived near Marlene and Trex.  
  
"It's catchy, I guess..." Phillona said and turned to Trex and Marlene, "So guys...ready..."  
  
"Got Shiva?" Marlene quipped, excitedly, "I say give to those scumbags!"  
  
Phillona nodded and was about to take a step forward, when a 'slow' spell cramped her body from an advancing soldier, who was strangely masked. Marlene aimed her crossbow at him but he screened her sight with a blind spell. Avatar was about to move at him, but the masked soldier sent a sleep spell at him. Avatar ducked and the spell caught Trex unaware and he slumped to the ground, fast asleep. Phillona's hands were moving too slowly to summon, still reeling from the effect of the soldier's 'slow' spell. Avatar was about to attack when the soldier who had cast the spells cried under his breath, "Wait..."  
  
Avatar didn't care; he was going to nail him with a flying knee when the man removed his mask, revealing his face. Phillona gasped, "Gerard!"  
  
He stood pointing his gun at Phillona and Avatar so that the other soldiers wouldn't get suspicious. Marlene was still rubbing her eyes because of the blind spell.   
  
"Look..." he hissed as a file of soldiers approached behind Gerard, "I have a summon materia..."  
  
"What?" Avatar said surprised as the soldiers drew nearer, "What the hell are you-"  
  
"No time to explain..." Gerard grunted and turned to Phillona, "Phillona, on three, summon Shiva..."  
  
"One..." Gerard said under his breath. The soldiers suddenly realized that Gerard was talking to them.  
  
"HEY!" A soldier shouted from behind Gerard, "What are you doing talking to those brats!?"  
  
"Two..."  
  
"HEY, YOU DEAF, SOLDIER?" barked a soldier a few feet behind Gerard. He started walking to him, signaling the other large group of soldiers to follow him.  
  
"THREE!"  
  
"What the hell?" The soldier muttered and staggered back when Phillona and Gerard spun around, and with a quick step forward, disappeared with a swirl of green aura around them. So did the other 'brats' behind them.  
  
The entire party of over 30 Shin-Ra soldiers stood death-stricken at the thought that a guardian force had been summoned to annihilate them. The air went dead cold. It was so cold that a few of the soldiers started shivering. As the soldiers stood there with clattering teeth, a giant icicle shot out of the ground with the icy figure of a beautiful woman inside. A crack appeared on it and then the figure inside swung out her folded arms and shattered the icicle that had enclosed her. She stood in front of panic-stricken soldiers who watched her long blue hair fall behind her. She smiled and then raised her arms over her head and sent a howling storm of sharp icicles at the soldiers. Most of the icicles found their mark through the heart of Shin-Ra soldiers and they fell down, dead. Some of them avoided it, only to be stabbed by a second wave of deadly icicles. Shiva watched the remaining survivors scamper around in circles.  
  
From far away, General Rupert aimed his spell at the guardian force that was getting ready to unleash the 'diamond dust' attack. A firaga ripped through the air and scalded Shiva on her stomach. Before she could see who had hit her, another firaga followed and scorched her neck, blackening her beautiful blue skin. She fell to her feet and shook her head as if to say that she can't stay any longer. And then she spun around, her blue hair swirling around with her, and disappeared with a sound of shattering ice. Only about twenty soldiers remained now, most of them bruised badly from icicle scrapes.  
  
Rupert smirked and barked on the megaphone gleefully, "HAH! IS that all ya got!? MY SOLDIERS WILL KILL YA THE MOMENT YOUR bodies...re-appear...."  
  
He let the words fade away. And then a worried look came over his face. The soldiers were waiting, puzzled, for Shiva's summoner and her friends to re-appear. But when none of the resistance group members re-appeared, the look on the soldiers' face grew even more afraid. The clouds looming over them turned strangely dark. Rupert was the first to start the wave of panic, "Shit...this doesn't look good."   
  
He barked at his soldiers to stay and fight. He then boarded the airship, which rose in the air and zipped away beyond the mountains.  
  
The soldiers shouted curses at Rupert and waited with sweat dripping down their faces. Soon, a symbol of their doom appeared on the clouds. As they watched, a shadow appeared with a distinct outline of a dragon on the clouds. As their eyes widened with terror, the shadow grew bigger and then with a humungous roar, the dragon God Bahamut, broke through the clouds and swooped down and landed on the rocky ground with a thud, crushing a couple of soldiers under his foot to nothingness. The remaining few went berserk and tried to fire at him with their machine guys, which looked like flies smashing against him. It only irritated the dragon more, as he cast a flare so powerful that most of the soldiers fell on the ground and stayed there, motionless. All these scattered soldiers running around in fear and trying to shoot him only amused him, but Bahamut was too lazy to play with them. He soared into the sky and opened his jaws, his eyes flashing red and then he let out crashing balls of flaring brightness, which turned the ground where the soldiers were standing into a battlefield of explosions. After letting out a piercing holler, Bahamut charged all the energy around him in to one single mega flare and tore the earth apart with a blast so violent and bright that the entire night turned to day for a minute. And then he disappeared, leaving charred bodies of Shin-Ra soldiers lying on the ground.  
  
  
  
************************  
  
"HEE-HAW!" Trex whooped after he and the rest of the Mideel resistance group met near the lifestream well after a quick rest, "Showed em', didn't we?"  
  
"Yeah..." Marlene quipped, "All thanks to Gerard...."  
  
Avatar was quietly examining the lifestream flowing in bright green inside the well. The happy mood of the people around seem didn't seem to be catching on to him. He just gave a quick smile at them and made his way to his room after saying goodnight. Morning.... he thought.... I'll go to the Fenis guardian in the morning...  
  
Phillona stood silently with a half-smile on her face, Gerard standing beside her. Gerard started to speak but Trex cut in. "And...MAN, Gerard! Where'd you get Bahamut?"  
  
"Oh...the Megiddo ruins..." Gerard replied, "its east of Midgar..."  
  
"Cool..." Marlene said, "I should go materia hunting there sometime..."  
  
"Well...." Trex yawned, "I say its snooze 'o clock. Hey Gerard, you can share my room for the night, ok? See ya in the morning..."  
  
He ran away followed by Marlene who was pestering Trex for some money he owed her.   
  
Only Phillona and Gerard remained alone. Phillona didn't say anything. She didn't want to act like there once existed any sort of relationship between the two of them but Gerard started first, "So...um..."  
  
"Yeah?" Phillona asked, still not looking at him.  
  
"Phillona...." Gerard said walking closer to him, "I...miss you...."  
  
"..................."  
  
During their relationship two years ago, there arose a need for one of the resistance members to be inside Shin-Ra as a spy. Gerard had volunteered for the job and had eventually found a girlfriend while he was in Midgar working as a computer technician for Shin-Ra. Phillona had heard of it and she felt hurt although they didn't have an ongoing relationship. Gerard had never bothered to even contact her or have any sort of link with her. She knew it was necessary to keep his cover but she felt insignificant and worthless. She felt like she had never mattered to Gerard. And now he was telling her that he missed her. After two years of nothing, he was 'missing' her all of a sudden. She didn't let the words affect her.  
  
"I mean..." Gerard lifted her chin up and looked at her mako blue eyes, "...I miss...the way you tilt your head a-and smile...the way...you used to comfort me...at times when I was down..."  
  
"Then why did you leave me?" She said quietly.  
  
"Because.... I had to..." Gerard said, "I...I loved you but...no one else was willing to be the informant..."  
  
"Ok...so...what about her...?"  
  
"Elena's not important to me...don't you realize that?"  
  
"....................."  
  
"I still need you...." he said, sliding his arms around Phillona's waist.  
  
She wanted to break away but she didn't. No one had held her for a long time. And that's why...she had made Sifan dance so closely to her.  
  
She wanted to be held...but not by someone who had left her alone and gone away for a couple of years. But still, she remained motionless. He pulled her closer and moved his face nearer to Phillona's. The air between their lips thinned and he almost kissed her when Phillona turned her face away.  
  
"No...." she said and pulled herself away from Gerard's touch, "I don't feel anything for you any more, Gerard.... I am sorry..."   
  
  
  
And with that she walked away from him, in the cold night, leaving Gerard to stand all by himself.  
  
  
  
************************  
  
In a small cave, at the far end of the abandoned beach near Costa de sol, a group of hooded figures stood gathered around wooden pole to which a woman was tied. One of the figures walked up to the woman and cut the side of her arm with a knife and filled the glass cup in his hand with her blood. He then cast a cure spell on the woman and stopped her bleeding.   
  
And then the largest of the hooded figure spoke, "Ah...My dear brethren...before I tell you the news..."  
  
He walked around to each of the hooded figures and offered them the blood-filled glass. Each of them took a sip from it and nodded their heads. The hooded figure then gestured to another thin figure. The thin figure had a can of kerosene its hand and he poured it all over the woman. The woman cried in anguish but the figures around her simply laughed.  
  
And then the head figure spoke, "My brethren...the time is finally upon us..."  
  
A quick murmur went around the group.   
  
"Our Lord's second life shall start.... the next full moon..." the figure continued, "Yes, my brethren...all the sacrifices of Half-Jenovasysed humans has finally brought our Lord his complete attainment of Jenovasysis. The Jenova part of the humans we have sacrificed...the part of their blood our tongue can identify...is actually a part of their life stream. And our Lord's life stream has absorbed that part every time we killed them..."  
  
And then he cast a firaga spell at the woman soaked in kerosene...  
  
"LORD SEPHIROTH!" the figure bellowed as the flames ate the woman, "THY NAME SHALL BE FEARED ONCE AGAIN!!!!"  
  
The figures laughed as the fire consumed the woman whose screams were drowned by the crashing of the waves against the rocks and the laughter of her tormentors.  
  
*********************  
  
It had been two hours since she had left him standing by himself. But that didn't stop him from doing what he had come to do. Gerard had finished the whole thing in an hour. His mission required him to go slow and silent but Mideel was asleep and he had no problems whatsoever doing his thing.   
  
He walked outside Mideel and stood amongst the bodies Bahamut had taken to the grave. He realized he had left the Bahamut materia in the restroom but he gave up the idea of going back for it. Soon, an airship silently landed before him. Gerard looked around and after seeing no one was around, he boarded the airship.  
  
Inside the airship, a large bulky figure sat at a corner, a lit cigar in its mouth. Gerard pulled out a small device with a single button and tossed it to the figure as the airship rose into the sky.  
  
Gerard smiled wryly, "Press the trigger fast, Rupert. I am sure you want to see my explosives 'light up' Mideel in front of you..."  
  
***********************  
  
-------_______________________________________________________________  
  
From the author: ok guys...sorry for such a short update...just one chap...but I'll post one tomorrow...and maybe squeeze in another one...well...I think that after chapter 29...THERES GONNA BE A LONG BREAAAAAAAAAAAAAK. Like till about December...the reason? I am going to med school : - ( ...I wont have time over there...to do all this stuff....so...please...post ur reviews so that I can take a good look at them before I leave....who knows...if you smash my face with enough reviews... I might try something stupid in med school.....(like using the library computer after class hours...)..so anyway...no matter what happens....REVIEW!!! KEEP ME ALIVE! C'MON GUYS PLEASE!! SAVE THE DOC!!!!! 


	28. CHAPTER 28

Chapter 28  
  
Ashes...smoking and glowing ashes covering charred and blackened bodies... That was all that remained of Mideel. A few survived, with burns and a few more with injuries. Rubble covered the lifestream well. A very tired Shiva disappeared after extinguishing the flames. The sky was showing signs of a tragic morning dawn. A small group of Mideel villagers stood, crying and gritting their teeth. Graveling and clenching their teeth in anger...no...not at Shin-Ra... but at three teenagers who had protected the town for 10 years.   
  
Avatar had been taking a midnight walk outside town when the sudden explosions had turned the village into a blazing pandemonium. Phillona's cabin hadn't had a blast near it and neither had Trex's or Marlene's...only because the three of them used to be Gerard's friends...his only friends...   
  
The villagers slowly grouped around the Mideel resistance group.  
  
"HAPPY NOW!?" Screamed an angry old man, "Look around yuh, ya runts!"  
  
"YEAH!" yelled another, "Happy YA ANGERED THEM DAMN SHIN-RA INTA BRINGING OUR HOMES DOWN!?"  
  
Phillona swallowed, "We were only-"  
  
"Aw shut up..." bawled another villager, "I've told ya a million times...give Shin-Ra the damn lifestream well..."  
  
"But the well...." Marlene started, "The well..."  
  
"The well..." roared a large farmer, "is bloody useless!"  
  
A few more angry villagers snarled loudly, "YEAH!"  
  
They looked around and saw the rubble, the ashes and the bodies and they only cried even more loudly, "You've killed us, Phillona! You and yer resistance..."  
  
"HEY!" Trex cried, "GET a GRIP PEOPLE!"  
  
"ENOUGH!" Thundered the voice of a tall man, "I'll handle this..."  
  
The villagers calmed down one by one, each of them still aching at the thought of having lost their loved ones over protecting a lifestream well.  
  
"Who's that?" Avatar whispered.  
  
"He's the Village head...Shoyin..." Marlene replied, "He decides stuff around here. His father was a friend of buganhagen..."  
  
"I hate the asshole..." Trex mumbled, "They appointed him village head yesterday and he's already poking his ugly nose into everything..."  
  
"Well...PEOPLE of Mideel!" Shoyin started, "We have LONG ignored the fact that Shin-Ra is growing desperate for the lifestream well. And today...we have paid the price..."   
  
He cleared his throat and shot a defiant stare at Phillona, Trex, Marlene and Avatar, "Of course...some of us...have resisted the Shin-Ra onslaught for years.... and well...everything...even the toughest -ahem- 'resistance ' has to come to an end sooner or later..."  
  
"The daughter of Cloud Strife along with Mr.Trex...and of course...Miss. Marlene..." he continued, "have been the key reason Mideel...has never fallen under Shin-Ra all these years...they have at times earned our appreciation..."  
  
"Appreciation, huh?" Trex muttered, "he cut the funds we used to buy weapons by 45% yesterday..."   
  
"Unfortunately...." Shoyin continued, "They've ALSO been the reason why Mideel is in ashes now..."  
  
"NO!" Phillona cried, "ALL my life...Mideel's well-being came first and..."  
  
"Please miss Strife..." Shoyin interrupted, "There's no need to become emotional..."  
  
"Whaddaya mean 'Emotional' ya bastard!" Trex shot out, "Only thing Phillona and ourselves looked out was for YOUR MIDEEL!"  
  
"Hey..." Avatar said, placing a hand on Trex, "easy, man...shouting is not gonna get us anywhere..."  
  
"Yeah..." Marlene said, "Avatar's right..."  
  
"Anyway..." Shoyin started again, "There is no need for any sort of Mideel resistance anymore.... my father was foolish to fund a resistance group...and that foolishness shall end now..."  
  
Phillona swallowed, tears starting to ebb their way out her eyes.  
  
Shoyin cleared his throat, "Trex is one of us...and-"  
  
"Hell, no..." Trex snapped, "Don't even think I am gonna count myself as one of ya losers..."   
  
Shoyin was unfazed, "And Marlene really doesn't do much in these resistance activities anyway. So I shall not go as far as to ask Trex and Marlene to leave the village..."  
  
Phillona's eyes became even more watery.  
  
"Meaning...Miss Phillona strife...being the leader of these resistance activities..." Shoyin continued, "...should leave this town...once and for all...."  
  
A joyful roar erupted from the surrounding villagers immediately, "YEAH!" they shouted as tears ran down Phillona's face. Marlene consoled her as Trex's protests and insults were drowned by the shouting of the villagers. Avatar was speechless.  
  
Shoyin continued, "you can use around 10,000 gils from the Mideel treasury, if there's anything left of it, for your expenses...please...I am sure you will find a home somewhere...Cosmo canyon would surely take you in...farewell..."  
  
Shoyin walked away followed quickly by the other villagers. If the villagers hadn't been in his way, Avatar Fenis would have cut Shoyin's head off. The village people walked away with Shoyin into an undamaged large hut, most likely to decide future plans. The whole place was filled with rubble and wooden ruins of destroyed huts. Thin wisps of smoke rose everywhere. The four of them stood alone amidst dead bodies and broken furniture. Not a sound was in the air except for Phillona sobbing with her face behind her hands.  
  
************************  
  
Rupert's grin had never been wider as he chinked his glass of champagne with Gerard's. It was early in the morning and Gerard and Rupert spent most of the night drinking, laughing and smoking. Relafen's cabin in the Shin-Ra headquarters had never been noisier. Rupert and Gerard had just walked in despite Relafen's objection and started boozing, and smoking. They didn't seem to want to leave either. Relafen wanted to kick them out but unfortunately Rupert was his senior officer. Relafen ignored them and lay on his bed but Gerard got his attention when he mentioned something about Mideel.  
  
"The fireworks were great, Gerard!" Rupert cackled, "Wheredja learn ta bomb places ta hell, anyway..."  
  
"Hey...don't ask me, I am actually supposed to be an... undercover 'computer technician' working for Mideel's resistance, remember?" Gerard warbled sarcastically, taking another draught of the wine bottle.  
  
"So.... Did ya try getting yer ex-girlfriend back..." Rupert babbled, "The dame's name is Phillona, aint it?"  
  
"Nah..." Gerard said, "I was too good for her...hic..."  
  
"Ah shut up, ya screwball..." Rupert snapped, "Bet she turned yer ass down?"  
  
"Yup..." Gerard mumbled, "That way I have no regrets for blowing up Mideel...."  
  
Relafen's eyes widened as he sprung to his feet, "Y-You blasted Mideel up....!?"  
  
"Sure as hell we did..." Gerard smirked, "Ya know...that girl you danced with for a minute...?"  
  
"P-Phillona...?" Relafen stuttered, "...is s-she...d-dead?"  
  
"Most probably..." Rupert grinned at Relafen, "Aint I a genius, commander? I set her ex-boyfriend up to save her and her gang from we ' THE EVIL SHIN-RA' and then the ex-boyfriend planted explosives all over the place and then made em go boom once he left the damn village...great, eh? And meet the man, the ex-boyfriend and ex-lover.... Gerard!"  
  
Relafen's heart flipped. And then he realized why Phillona didn't like bonding with anyone. It was because of people like Gerard.  
  
Relafen whipped out his gunblade, and smashed it on the small coffee table between Gerard and Rupert and it broke into two. He then kicked Gerard across his face who fell backwards from his chair. Rupert got up and threw a fist at Relafen but the wine made him miss. Relafen moved aside and cast a confuse spell on Rupert. Rupert made a weird look on his face and walked out of the door staggering.  
  
Relafen grit his teeth and walked to Gerard, "You...its people like you...who Phillona was afraid of..."   
  
Gerard looked at him sleepily, "hey...man...I jus' loved an' left her, ok?"  
  
Relafen buried his boot in Gerard's stomach, ".... you killed her, you bastard."  
  
Gerard was groping his stomach as Relafen lifted him up by his collar. Relafen wanted Gerard to feel pain. Real pain. He threw his gunblade into the air and cast two fires at it and it became red hot while falling. He caught his sword by its handle and smashed Gerard against his ribs, scalding him terribly. And the blood began to ooze freely as he staggered backwards and slammed against the wall.  
  
"I.... didn't..." Gerard choked, "...kill her...she's a-alive...."  
  
Relafen's eyes brightened, "Don't bullshit me..."  
  
"I didn't place any frickin' explosives near her c-cabin..." Gerard stuttered closing his eyes tightly from the pain.  
  
  
  
Before Gerard could die, Relafen emptied an elixir on him, healing him completely. He then kicked him across his jaw, making him fall unconscious. Relafen sheathed his gunblade as Rupert smashed his head on the door and then opened it, rubbing his forehead. He saw Gerard on the floor and he glared at Relafen who just walked past him as if he didn't even exist.  
  
*************************  
  
Trex punched the wall in the wooden cabin so hard his fist went right through the wall, "You can't leave, Phillona!"  
  
Phillona continued to gather all her belongings and throw it into a shoulder bag, "I have to..."  
  
"C'mon Phillona..." Marlene said, "I am sure we can talk to Shoyin about the entire thing."  
  
Avatar joined in, "Yeah...I mean...you can stay here without involving in resistance stuff..."  
  
Phillona turned around and though there were tears in her eyes, she smiled, "I appreciate you wanting me to stay. But then...all the things I've done over the years here...it will always come back telling me that everything was useless in the end...Shoyin's already called Shin-Ra up to rebuild Mideel and..."  
  
"W-What...?" Trex fumed, "That son of a-"  
  
"Yeah..." Marlene replied, "We overheard a couple talk about it a few minutes ago..."  
  
"Shin-Ra will take over Mideel..." Phillona said inserting her diary into the bag, "I can't live here watching Shin-Ra build a reactor over the life stream well..."  
  
Avatar sighed, "They're gonna suck Mideel dry..."  
  
"Yeah..." Marlene replied, "everything's gonna go dehydrated. Trees, plants, grass...animal life...it's a long chain..."   
  
"And THEN these fools will realize everything..." Trex said, still gritting his teeth.  
  
"Phillona...how are you gonna find a h-home...and a-and.... h-how-?" Marlene sniffed.  
  
"I've never had a real home anyway, Marlene...." Phillona said, "So...I...guess...I'll find someplace...a job as a waitress maybe..."  
  
"What about Cosmo canyon..?" Trex said brightening up, "There'll be friends of buganhagen there..."  
  
"No..." Phillona replied, "They've changed, Trex...like everyone else..."  
  
"DAMN IT ALL!" Trex screamed driving another fist through the wall.  
  
And then a determined look came over his eyes, "We'll come with you till you find a house or something..."  
  
"YEAH!" Marlene quipped, "That way we can all rest easy..."  
  
Phillona smiled, "Thanks guys but-"  
  
"No buts Phillona!" Marlene cut in, "We're coming with you..."  
  
"Jus one problem though..." Trex cut in, "If we leave...Shoyin's probably gonna kick us out too by saying we helped the 'resistance leader'..."  
  
"Hmm...Yeah..." Marlene said, "There's not much 3 people can do with 10,000 gils either..."   
  
"We'll talk it out with that ass of a head and join ya in a couple of days..." Trex said, "That way...we'll still have a home in Mideel..."  
  
"You sure?" Phillona said fastening the bag to her shoulders.  
  
"Absolutely..." Marlene said excitedly as she walked out of the cabin towards the village exit with Avatar, Phillona and Trex.  
  
Soon after a few speechless minutes, they arrived at the exit. The sun was leisurely beginning to rise behind the burnt down village and the birds started to chirp slowly.  
  
"Ah well..." Marlene said standing beside Trex and facing Avatar and Phillona, "All this HAD to happen..."  
  
Trex looked the saddest, "And all because.... of Gerard. Who would've thought..."  
  
Phillona was quiet. Marlene too joined Phillona in her calmness.  
  
Trex spoke again, "People change...just like you said, Phillona...they change for the worst..."  
  
"Ahem..." Avatar cut in after a few seconds of tranquility, "So...I think I'll leave too..."  
  
"What?" Trex said, surprised, "Where are YOU gonna go...?"  
  
"Some place nearby...I'll drop by once I finish my work..." Avatar said, trying to remember the direction in which his chocobo had run before falling in to the opening leading to the Fenis guardian's chamber.  
  
"Ok..." Trex said, too saddened with Phillona leaving to ask Avatar further details, "I guess I'll see you then..."  
  
Marlene suddenly remembered something, "Hey, Trex...where's the cell phone I gave you for the golden saucer dance...?"  
  
Trex slapped his forehead, "Damn...I forgot to take it from Sifan..."  
  
Marlene sighed, "I thought we could give it to Phillona just in case we needed to contact her..."  
  
"It's ok..." Phillona said, "We'll just decide on a place and time to meet..."  
  
"How about..." Trex said, thinking, "two days from now...evening around sunset...at...Lichita hills..."  
  
"Fine..." Phillona said, "at the inn..."  
  
"Okey-dokey..." Marlene said, "Keep searching for a nice house to rent meanwhile..."  
  
"Of course." Phillona replied.  
  
"Goodbye, Phillona." Marlene said, giving Phillona a quick hug.  
  
Trex shook her hand, "see ya around, ma'm..."  
  
Phillona smiled as Trex and Marlene left to the dining cabin after saying goodbye.  
  
Catching chocobos took just a few minutes for both Avatar and Phillona. They soon reached the road where Avatar had to turn in order to find the entrance to the Fenis guardian's dwelling place.  
  
"Hey..." Avatar said, "Where are you headed?"  
  
"I'll decide when I get to the port...."  
  
"Er...Aquadia...?"  
  
"Maybe...they have great jobs for materia hunters there..."  
  
"Well, uh...I know...this might be asking too much..." Avatar said, "but could you just show Sifan his way around Aquadia that is IF you're going there. He gets lost easily."  
  
Phillona smiled dryly, "yeah...ok...maybe I'll do just that ..."  
  
"Thanks..."  
  
"No problem...however, I don't think Seef will be too happy to have me around..."  
  
"No, no..." Avatar grinned, "Believe me...he hates to admit it but he really doesn't mind you around..."  
  
"Really...?"  
  
"Yeah..." Avatar said, "the last time I tried fixing him a dance, he ran away after punching me in the face..."  
  
"Hmm...yeah...he's kinda cute when he tries to dance..."  
  
"He is...?"  
  
"Never mind..." Phillona said smiling and looking at the sunrise.  
  
"I'll meet you at the Aquadia inn tonight then ...?"  
  
"Wait a second..." Phillona said, "There are hundreds of inns in Aquadia...which one is Seef going to be in?"  
  
"Oh great..." Avatar sighed, "Hey, maybe you can call that cell phone he has..."  
  
"Yeah..." Phillona said, "I'll do that. See you then..."  
  
"Bye..." Avatar mumbled and raced his chocobo away from Phillona as she rode her one to the Mideel Port.  
  
  
  
*************************  
  
{So...you're still thinking you can go to Aquadia and find Professor Lorenz. And then you can go back to balamb...}  
  
[I was last evening...]  
  
{Ok...so now you've decided its no use...?}  
  
[Yup...]  
  
{Wow...I thought it would take more time to convince you...}  
  
[Nah...not really...if a voice that knows the entire history of you and your father tells you that 2 plus 2 is three, you can't really argue...]  
  
{Phew...now you're talking sense...}  
  
[But I am going to Aquadia since I promised Avatar I'd meet him there...]  
  
{Ok...}  
  
[But I don't know what I'll do till evening...]  
  
{Materia hunting sound good?}  
  
[Perfect...]  
  
*********************** 


	29. CHAPTER 29

Chapter 29  
  
Harrison's submarine avoided a large whale and slowly made its way towards what Sifan saw as a huge hemispherical-shaped glass on the seabed. As the submarine approached nearer, Sifan was amazed that inside the large hemispherical glass structure, was actually a city bustling with activity. There were huge, tall and pointed buildings on crooked streets with lost of people walking around and riding chocobos. Sifan noticed that the seabed suddenly cracked open a few feet in front of them. Then he realized that it was actually a mechanically operated slide door. Soon, Harrison's submarine moved into it and the door closed over it. After sinking for sometime, the sub proceeded forward and then reappeared at the Aquadia city dock.  
  
Sifan walked out of the sub using the ladder and jumped on to the platform near the water where the sub was floating. Harrison followed and Sifan thanked him and left promptly, after picking up a small map of the city from the tourist information counter near the exit of the dock. Then he walked out into the open and he was surprised when he saw clouds in the sky above him. He just stared at it when a passer-by stopped near him.  
  
"First time to Aquadia?" the passer-by asked him.  
  
Sifan nodded.  
  
"Well.... I bet you're probably wondering what's an underwater city doing with a sky and clouds..."  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"Actually there IS no sky or clouds, it's this technology Shin-Ra made called Makotech Illusionary Technology...MIT for short..."  
  
"ok..."  
  
"So...well...the dome up there covering Aquadia is actually a kinda television screen."  
  
"You mean...it's nice weather all the time...?"  
  
"Yeah well...sometimes...it rains...they have pores all over the dome to make water fall..."  
  
"Oh.... ok...thanks for the info..."  
  
"That will be 100 gils."  
  
"WHAT!?"  
  
Sifan stared at the passer-by, "Hey...no way I am paying you for the sky and the clouds..."  
  
"Look..." the passer-by said, "Knowledge is priceless...and I gave you the knowledge that the sky-"  
  
He stopped. Sifan Leonhart's gunblade was out, pointed at his chest.   
  
"Er...well..." the passer-by mumbled, "I'll let ya have it for free...see ya...."  
  
With that, he ran away as Sifan sheathed his gunblade and took a look at the ground.  
  
The spacing between the large buildings was not particularly very large and there were urchins and all sorts of people scurrying around. Most of the buildings were large Shin-Ra offices. Some of them, especially the smaller ones, were shops that sold everything from materia to potions. The air had the smell of salt and the 'sun' was shining very brightly. Then across the street where Sifan had arrived, he noticed an Inn. Beside it was dark red door, which read 'Materia hunters required...good pay...'  
  
Sifan decided to check that out later and he hurried across the street past an urchin and entered the inn. Sifan thought at first that 500 gils per night was too much but he decided to pay.   
  
[I am going materia hunting anyway...]  
  
He took his room keys and hurried away to it. As soon as he was inside he plopped on the bed and stared at the well-lit ceiling. He took a quick nap and then washed himself in the lavatory. He loaded his gunblade and then sighed.  
  
[Two materia...fire and wind...what the hell am I gonna do with two...?]  
  
He shrugged and left the inn and entered the door which had wanted a materia hunter. Inside was a small hallway at the end of which sat a stout-looking lady with a paper and a quill. Alongside the wall were several mean looking and some ordinary-looking people of all ages seated in a row. Most of them were turned down by the stout lady except for a few who proceeded out of the place, with a small black ticket in their hands. Sifan waited his turn and soon, he found himself in front of the plump lady.   
  
She looked at him from the top of her eyes, "say son, you're too good looking for this job, you sure you want it...?"  
  
Sifan nodded, "yeah...I'll get you your stuff by evening..."  
  
The lady smiled, "Hmm...let's see...physique? ... Pass...Weapon?...ok... pass... materia?...not ok..."  
  
"Well-" Sifan began but the lady cut in, "We'll let ya borrow some materia son...jus as long as you bring more of 'em back..."  
  
"Here..." she said tossing a few shining stones across her desk, "Take em'..."  
  
Sifan promptly threw them into his pocket as the lady fished through a few papers and asked Sifan to sign them. He did so quickly.  
  
"Ok...kid...I need some advance money..." the lady mumbled, "Just in case you try running away with the materia..."  
  
Sifan pulled out all the money he had and dumped it on the table. The lady grinned and swept it into the drawer, "Don't worry kid...we'll give it back twice or thrice the amount.... depends on the materia ya bring back..."  
  
Sifan nodded as she pulled out another paper, "Here...choose yer hunting terrain..."  
  
Sifan's eyes moved down the paper and his eyes fell on the last choice.   
  
*************************  
  
Another droplet of sweat dropped from Professor Lorenz's face and fell on the keyboard. He wiped his face anxiously while glancing sideways at the see-through glass into a chamber that was completely filled with dense white smoke.  
  
"I can't fail now..." Lorenz muttered to himself as he crazily tapped away on his keyboard, "This is the last bit of life stream left...I cant go back all the way to the northern crater to get it again..."  
  
His laboratory had never been messier. Papers and notes were thrown everywhere among fallen microscopes and floppy disks. Explosions and all sorts of chemicals blackened the white walls. All this bore proof to the fact that Lorenz had sleeplessly been working his head off the previous night.  
  
Then with a final tap on the 'enter' key, Lorenz ran to the see-through glass and stuck his face to it, trying to see if anything was happening inside. The smoke was still looming and he couldn't see a thing. But he waited patiently muttering something under his breath now and then. When he heard a loud beep, he reached to the side and took the canister containing the red lifestream and inserted it into a hole. The red life stream began to disappear gradually as if something inside was drinking it.  
  
"Yes..." Lorenz cried to himself, "Hamilton's body should be undergoing transmutation right now..."  
  
The canister soon became empty. Lorenz then ran back to his computer, pressed a few more keys, and came rushing back immediately. The empty canister started to slowly fill again...but this time by green life stream. Once it was filled completely, Lorenz pulled it out and kissed it. He then took a marker and wrote across the canister, "Hamilton."  
  
He then placed the canister in one of his lock-ups and returned to his observation. The smoke soon cleared and in the middle lay the unconscious human form of the red lifestream. Lorenz smiled and slid open the door to the chamber and rushed to the body. After looking at the body's face, he cried in excitement, "Yes! I did it! I am a goddamn GENIUS!"  
  
He dragged the body outside and slumped it into a semi-cylindrical tub of liquid nitrogen and closed it immediately.   
  
He then jumped to his desk and began to write voraciously in his diary.  
  
"Today. I actually put the life stream resurrection theory to test. Unfortunately, it didn't really work. I almost abandoned the idea but then I ran across the thought of using a hybrid of both the lifestream resurrection and the lifestream transmutation theory. I carried it out immediately and the results were perfect. I have also made a new structure analysis of the lifestream. Each lifestreams contains three seamlessly integrated strands that basically are, the alpha strand, the beta strand and the gamma strand. I have discovered that the alpha strand represents physical appearance, the beta strand the person's feelings and the gamma strand represents his memory."  
  
Lorenz sat in his chair and thought for some time, nibbling the back end of his pencil and then he jumped back to his diary again, "This could might as well mean that if I can manipulate the length of the alpha, beta, and gamma strands...I can manipulate physical appearance, emotions, and the memory of a person...in other words...I can be God..."  
  
Lorenz smiled another time, "but...manipulating the strands is impossible...unless...I had...something so powerful that it can influence life stream properties...something very unholy..."  
  
**********************  
  
Sifan Leonhart walked back into the Aquadia dock and saw a submarine, which had light blue letters on its front saying, "Materia Hunters Inc."  
  
[What a stupid name...] Sifan thought as he walked to the submarine in front of which a man was standing sleepily.  
  
"Hunting ticket?" he moaned in a barely audible voice.  
  
Sifan showed him the black ticket the lady had given him and he stepped aside to let Sifan enter. The submarine was very small and not quite the elite type either. The compartment however, was medium-sized with all sorts of people sitting cross-legged across the scattered chairs on the raggedly carpeted floor. Sifan looked around and saw an empty chair a few feet away. It was the only one. He rushed across the room and sat on it with a heave of relief.   
  
The submarine's door closed and it whirred to life, ready to move. But before he could sit back, a familiar voice sounded behind him.   
  
"Er...Seef...I was using that chair..."  
  
Sifan almost fell back with shock when Phillona caught his chair from the back.  
  
He turned around and gazed at the beautiful girl in front of him. She just raised her eyebrow when Sifan coughed, "Gak! What are you doing here?"  
  
"Same thing you're doing..."  
  
"I didn't see you at the materia hunting office place or whatever..."  
  
"I am a regular...so I don't have to do all that stuff..." she said.  
  
[She...hasn't smiled yet....]  
  
"Er...good luck then..." Sifan said, still not getting up from the chair.  
  
"Well, actually..." she said, "I am coming with you..."  
  
"NO!" Sifan cried, "Uh...I mean...no..."  
  
"Hey..." she replied, "You don't have a cure materia if I am right..."  
  
"I have potions...."  
  
"How many?"  
  
"Er, two..."  
  
A vague smile appeared on her face, "Two...?"  
  
Sifan didn't reply. He pulled a chair that had been vacated during his conversation with Phillona. He reached out for it and pulled it near him, "Sit down..."  
  
"So..." she said, "Can I tag along, Seef...?"  
  
"Give me one good reason..." Sifan mumbled, "...why I should take you with me...?"  
  
"Well..." she said sitting near him, "How about my materia? Cure, Time, Shiva and Bahamut...?"  
  
"You're coming with me alright..." Sifan agreed immediately, "Can I have Bahamut?"  
  
"Here..." she said taking a red materia from her glove and placing it in Sifan's hand, "What did they give you at the materia hunter office...?"  
  
"They gave me a clumsy fire materia, a barrier materia, and a deathblow materia..."  
  
"Hmm...." she said as the passengers got down at their hunting terrains.  
  
Neither Sifan nor Phillona spoke for a while.   
  
"Er...did Avatar say anything?" Sifan asked, rubbing the back of his neck.  
  
"Yeah..." she said slowly, "He told me to make sure you don't get lost..."  
  
"How very thoughtful of him..." Sifan said sarcastically, "You're baby-sitting me...."  
  
Phillona smiled, "Hmm...lone wolf-sitting actually..."  
  
"Very funny..."  
  
The last passenger left the submarine at a hunting terrain stop, leaving the two of them alone. Suddenly, an alarmed look came over Phillona's face, "Wait a second...where are we going...?"  
  
"To our hunting terrain..."  
  
"Yeah.... but there's no one else...I mean...there are always about 4 or 5 hunters for every terrain...unless..." Phillona gasped, "Unless you chose the last one on the list..."  
  
"Yeah, I did.... so...?" Sifan said, "I mean.... even that lady was reluctant to offer me this hunting terrain...."  
  
Phillona swallowed, "Please...Don't tell me we're going materia hunting inside...t-the..."  
  
Sifan completed the sentence for Phillona, "...inside the Omega caves...."  
  
*************************  
  
-------------------___________________-  
  
Note from author: sorry for the short chapter guys...anyway...PLEASE REVIEW! I don't care,...abuse me if u want...jus review! 


	30. CHAPTER 30

Chapter 30  
  
Squall Leonhart heard the door creak open slowly.  
  
"Squall?" Ellone's voice came from the door.  
  
"Come in, Ellone..." Squall heaved.  
  
"Squall..." Ellone said, "Are you still worried about what you saw using my powers, a few minutes ago?"  
  
Squall sighed. He swung around in his chair and watched his sister, "I haven't told Rinoa yet..."  
  
"You should tell her..." Ellone said walking up to his chair, "...about everything you've seen..."  
  
"I can't..." Squall replied, "Its bad enough I know about Sifan entering the omega caves...I don't want to scare Rinoa too...besides, Ellone...there's nothing we can do about it..."  
  
"But we have to be grateful..." Ellone replied, "My powers are working in a way they aren't supposed to...they're connecting us to Sifan's life..."  
  
"Yes, Ellone...I am grateful for that...but..." Squall replied clenching his forehead, "but we can only watch..."  
  
"Sifan will be fine..." Ellone replied, "I am sure he'll turn back from the omega caves..."  
  
"I know my son, Ellone..." Squall replied, "He stepped on a T-Rex's tail once when he was ten and when it didn't wake up...he stepped on it again..."  
  
"Fortunately...you were around, weren't you?"  
  
"Seifer was..."  
  
"Oh..." Ellone replied, "talking of Seifer, he's sure Relafen's gonna be fine...you should be like Seifer, Squall..."  
  
Squall looked up at Ellone and put his head down again, "It's MY son who's entering the omega caves, not his..."  
  
"I am sure he can handle himself-"  
  
"Ellone." Squall cut in, jumping to his feet, "I have FOUGHT Omega Weapon...I KNOW what it takes to survive him..."  
  
The two of them were silent for a while when Rinoa walked in. Her light blue cape blew sideways as she walked up to Squall.  
  
"Y-You heard what we were talking...?" Squall stuttered.  
  
Rinoa didn't reply. Ellone excused herself and left the room after closing the door behind her.  
  
"Guess you must have..." Squall heaved looking into Rinoa's eyes, "I am afraid, Rin..."  
  
Rinoa spoke in a gentle tone, "About what...?"  
  
"I am a-afraid of l-losing...S-Sif..." he said and his eyes narrowed with a sense of fear and pain.  
  
"Shhh...."she said hugging him tightly, "Don't say it..."  
  
He ran his hand through his wife's hair, "at the end of time compression... when I didn't see you, I thought I lost you ...I feel the same way about our son now..."  
  
She smiled at him, "Yes...but it didn't happen...we didn't lose each other..."  
  
She looked at his ocean blue eyes that were ever-so present in Sifan's, "We will not lose Sifan...neither will we lose Avatar for that matter..."  
  
Squall cringed in her arms slightly at the mention of Avatar's name, "Avatar's searching for his past..."  
  
"I know...Ellone told me...it will work out Squall...I am sure it will...you can still watch Sifan and Avatar, right?"  
  
"Yeah...I can watch them through Ellone..."  
  
"Yes..." Rinoa said before moving in for a kiss, "Watch and hope...that we'll see them again..."   
  
  
  
***********************  
  
"I swear, Seef, WHAT on earth were you thinking?" Phillona said as the submarine's door slide open.  
  
"Hey...So WHAT if we run into Omega Weapon...?" Sifan replied as they stared at an island with a forest, "I heard this place has great materia..."  
  
  
  
"Hey, you two..." the submarine's caretaker shouted, "You can still turn back. I mean, look at you two...you're so young and...you look great together and..."  
  
"Get..." Sifan snapped, "...to the goddamn point..."  
  
"Well...All I am saying is..." the caretaker replied, "...it aint too late to turn back..."  
  
"Nobody's turning back..." Sifan said firmly, covering Phillona's mouth when she was about to say something.  
  
"Oh well...your funeral..." the caretaker replied, "we'll be back in an hour or two to take your bodies...er...I mean...take you kids back..."  
  
After the 'pleasant' words from the caretaker, the submarine disappeared into the water after Sifan and Phillona walked to the sandy beach.  
  
"He's supposed to be a damn caretaker...not an undertaker." Sifan mumbled as the two of them waddled across the sand in the quiet beach.  
  
Phillona giggled, "Hey...he said we look great together..."  
  
[He's the fourth one...after Trex, Avatar and Lyris...]   
  
"Like I've said before..." Sifan sighed, "Don't get any ideas..."  
  
"Geez...you are such a grouch..." Phillona said as they reached the tall palm trees at the entrance of the forest, "How DOES Avatar put up with you..."  
  
"Well..." Sifan said changing the topic, "How did the Mideel thing go?"  
  
Phillona's face changed mood drastically.  
  
[Damn...If only I stopped saying things that bring a look like that on her face...]  
  
"It..." Phillona replied, "Mideel...didn't go too well...Shin-Ra should be taking over as we talk..."  
  
"What happened?" Sifan asked.  
  
"I'll tell you on our way back..." she said, swallowing, "Well...that is if we make it back..."  
  
[Hey...maybe I should try that line Dad said to mom in Deling before the sorceress assassination thing...]  
  
"Uh..." Sifan said, "Stay close to me and you'll be fine..."  
  
  
  
Phillona had a short fit of giggles.  
  
  
  
[Dad was lucky mom fell for that line...]  
  
"Ok...forget I said that." Sifan retorted quickly, "I was just tryin a line my dad said to mom a year before they got married..."  
  
"And your mother fell for it?" Phillona asked with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"Yeah..." Sifan replied, "But well...at that time, she almost got killed by a sorceress's igualions...so well, he saved her and she found that being with him was assuring or something, I guess..."  
  
"Your Dad was chivalrous, huh?" Phillona said immediately.  
  
Sifan burst out laughing, "Squall Leonhart...chivalrous? That's a good one, I've got to tell Avatar about this..."  
  
Phillona managed a little smile too, "Ok...bad assumption...so your father was also a cold ass like you...um...no offence..."  
  
Sifan still had a smile on his face, "That's ok...I've called him a cold ass since I was thirteen...It's fun to call your father stuff when you know he can't deny it..."  
  
Phillona giggled. Somehow, the entire incident about Mideel didn't seem to pull her down.  
  
"But..." Sifan continued, "He stopped being a cold ass...after he met a certain Rinoa Heartilly..."  
  
"Your mother...?"  
  
"Yes...she kinda screwed him up..."  
  
"He fell in love with her..." Phillona smiled. She was starting to know Sifan's way of talking better.   
  
"Yup..." Sifan replied, "Hook, line and sinker..."  
  
"What was she like when she was a teenager like you, I mean, has she ever told you...?"  
  
"Well..." he dragged his tone before saying something Phillona didn't expect, "She...was like you..."  
  
"Me?" Phillona asked, surprised and then she turned away from him, "Y-You...don't know me..."  
  
[Oh Crap...I did it again...]   
  
  
  
"Why is it that every time I say anything relating to you or your life, your smile vanishes like that?" Sifan said.  
  
"I have nothing to smile about when it comes to that, Seef..." She said, "nothing at all..."  
  
"Well, then fake it..." Sifan said suddenly, "Fake a smile even when you don't feel like smiling..."  
  
She turned around and gazed at his eyes that were as blue as the ocean behind her, "I can't smile...at least, not from the outside..."  
  
"Hey..." Sifan grinned, "I do that all the time...it's easy."  
  
"I know that..." she said and then she smiled.  
  
"See..." Sifan replied, "I told you that you can fake it..."  
  
"I wasn't faking..."she replied, "It's just that, when you said you fake your smiles all the time, it seemed so obvious. That's why I smiled."  
  
"Damn..." Sifan said, "Then let's try again..."  
  
He rubbed the back of his neck, "Wait, let me say a joke..."  
  
Phillona started to laugh.  
  
"Ah there...don't tell me that aint a fake..."  
  
"It aint a fake..." Phillona replied in a mock imitation of Sifan's voice, "You tryin to tell a joke...hee hee..."  
  
"That was a sad Sifan imitation of my voice..." Sifan snapped.  
  
"Whatever..." Phillona muttered under her breath. She looked up at him and smiled, "Was that better?"  
  
"Well..." Sifan said, "Maybe that was good, or maybe that actually wasn't..."  
  
"Get to the goddamn point!" Phillona growled. Sifan couldn't help but smile...genuinely.  
  
"There..." Phillona said with a delighted look on her face, "That was a perfect shot at playing Sifan, admit it..."  
  
As the both of them argued about Phillona's Sifan imitation, time began to tick away. After Phillona had imitated a zombie, a wooden post and an anti-feminine extremist, Sifan admitted Phillona knew how to imitate him. Little did they know that half an hour had already passed.   
  
"That was fun..."Phillona said, "You know...I've never had this much fun since..."  
  
"Since...when?" Sifan said sitting under a coconut tree and stretching his legs.  
  
"Since..." she walked over to him and sat near him, "Since...Gerard and I went chocobo racing 2 years ago..."  
  
[She was with Gerard?]  
  
"Gerard is a good dancer, I guess..." Sifan said, resting his head against the tree trunk.  
  
  
  
Phillona giggled before she could think of what Gerard had done the previous night, "Don't be silly...I didn't date him for his dancing abilities..."   
  
"Oh...well...maybe he had lots of money then?"  
  
"That's even more absurd, Seef..." Phillona said, getting a little red, "What do you take me for anyway..."  
  
"What I take all women for..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Mistakes of God who hunt down money-packed boyfriends who-"  
  
Phillona's thunder hit the tree hard and coconut fell on Sifan's head and broke into two.  
  
"OW!" Sifan cried rubbing his head, "What did you do that for...?"  
  
"For thinking I come under YOUR definition of a woman..."  
  
"Yeah, well..." Sifan muttered, checking his hand if there was any blood in it, "Add coconut-bashing to that definition..."  
  
"Uh oh..." Phillona sighed when she saw a small streak of blood on Sifan's hand. She immediately cast a cure but his head still felt woozy.  
  
"Sorry..." she said, smiling sheepishly, 'I didn't mean to...Its just that..."  
  
"Just that what?"  
  
"Its just that I don't like what you said when actually I-"  
  
"Get to the goddamn point..." Sifan growled.  
  
Phillona burst into a fit of laughter and fell back on Sifan's lap. He was too busy rubbing his head to push her off. She stared at his eyes, through the strands of dark brown hair covering them.  
  
He looked back at her, "Get off me..."  
  
She shook her head; "You have anything better to do...?"  
  
"Yes...there are always lots of better things to do than to have-"  
  
"Like what? Getting the hell belted out of you by Omega Weapon?"  
  
"I wouldn't mind Omega weapon." He said still squirming at the feeling of a girl lying on his lap.  
  
She giggled again. He smiled back. She reached out her hand and pushed aside his brown strands of hair, "You didn't get the haircut I told you to..."  
  
"You're not my mother..."  
  
[Hey...why did that line sound so familiar?]  
  
"Well...All I wanted..." She said, pushing another few strands of Sifan's hair to the side, "...was to have a clear look at your eyes..."  
  
"Why?" Sifan said, carelessly, "they're just eyes..."  
  
['They're just eyes'...I am getting stupider by the minute.]  
  
"They're expressive..." she said still not taking her eyes off his, "...and beautiful..."  
  
"They don't express anything..." Sifan said, looking away from her.  
  
"They express everything..."  
  
"Ok...name something they express then..."  
  
"Hmm.... let's see...you're gay...."  
  
"WHAT!?"  
  
"Hey...not all guys prefer staring at the ocean to staring back into a girl's eyes..."  
  
"Well I am different..."  
  
"My point exactly..."  
  
"NO!" Sifan growled, "Not THAT kind of different..."  
  
"Jus kidding around, Seef..." Phillona said, "That's not what I think about you..."  
  
"I don't care what you think about me..." Sifan replied, "Neither do I care what my eyes express to you..."  
  
"You know...you don't have to get all uptight about me bashing you with a small coconut."  
  
"Small?" Sifan started, "Do you have any idea-"  
  
"Ok ok..." she snapped, "So it was a little big...I only did it because of your cheap impression of me..."  
  
".........................."  
  
"You don't have to think I am your everyday girl because I don't think you're the 'everyday' boy..."  
  
"Yeah...you think I am your 'everyday' gay..." Sifan said, not realizing the both of them were arguing like little children.  
  
She smiled and then sighed, "Like I said...you are SUCH a grouch, Sifan Leonhart..."  
  
"I would be a real grouch if I took this stone here and smashed it on your head."  
  
"Ok SHUT UP!" Phillona cried, "We're getting ridiculous..."  
  
"........................"  
  
"........................"  
  
"Well...?" Sifan started slowly, watching Phillona still on his lap, looking at him, with a mixed like-dislike expression.   
  
"It must have been an hour since we got here......"  
  
"Yeah...."  
  
"By the way..." Sifan asked amused, "Where ARE the omega caves..."  
  
"Past the forest behind us..."  
  
"Wanna get going?"  
  
"Not really..."  
  
"What? You wanna just stay here lying on my lap all day?"  
  
She looked at him and smiled like an innocent little girl.  
  
"Don't even think about it." Sifan muttered before she could say, 'yes'  
  
She raised her head and quickly jumped to her feet and threw a few punches at the air, "Well then, Let's get going!"  
  
She ran into the ragged pathway leading inside the forest, with Sifan walking behind in her wake.  
  
{Answer me a question, will you?}  
  
[Shoot...]  
  
{When was the last time you ever got along with a girl?}  
  
[Never...and I still haven't got along-]  
  
{Phillona Strife is a girl, mind you...}  
  
[We just talked for...er...]  
  
{...An hour?}  
  
[..................]  
  
{Just one thing, Sifan. Phillona is a lonely girl. She's been like that since...ten...imagine that Sifan...ten years old when she began to feel cold and lonely....}  
  
[...That's sad...]  
  
{But the hour she spent with you here wasn't....}  
  
[Well...I am sure she's had happier times...]  
  
{Yes...maybe once or twice. Happier times with Gerard, a guy who planted explosives near her in Mideel last night....}  
  
[What!?]  
  
{Gerard backstabbed Phillona, joint Shin-RA and blasted Mideel...they kicked her out from Mideel, blaming her for everything... Phillona is homeless now...}  
  
[She didn't tell me...]  
  
{Why should she? She was enjoying her time with you...she wouldn't want to ruin it...}  
  
[Well, what's the sense in telling me all this?]  
  
{Just one request...}  
  
[What?]  
  
{Keep her happy, will you?}  
  
[.....................]  
  
{WILL YOU?}  
  
[Ok...just as long as I don't die from a terra break...]  
  
************************** 


	31. CHAPTER 31

Chapter 31  
  
The forest wasn't really as pleasant as it had looked from the outside. Instead of dry leaves and twigs lying on the ground, there were human skulls and bones scattered all over the place. Phillona just seemed to walk on as if none of it affected her. The trees were so densely packed that not even a whiff of air passed through them. The pathway was quite small and obstructed now and then with thorny bushes that Sifan had to cut with his gunblade to cross through. Just when he was about to slash down one of them, Phillona stopped Sifan.  
  
"What?" he asked, his sword still raised over the bush.  
  
"Listen..."  
  
There was a faint rustle of leaves as if a thousand snakes were moving in their direction. Sifan swallowed hard.  
  
[Maybe I WAS acting like a wise guy choosing this place...]  
  
"A Marlboro..." Phillona whispered, "Their tentacles make noises as if there were hundreds of snakes slithering on dry leaves..."  
  
"M-Marlboro...?" Sifan gasped.  
  
"Look..." Phillona said, "Just close your mouth and nose, when it uses its bad breath attack..."  
  
"And then...?"  
  
"Run."  
  
"No way..."Sifan replied, "Can't Bahamut take care of him...?"  
  
"Yeah sure..." Phillona said sarcastically, "By the time you remove your hands from your mou-"  
  
The Marlboro appeared from between a couple of trees and turned towards them.  
  
"You know..." Sifan said, "When I was small, I used to think this thing was a giant version of those cauliflowers mom used to serve..."  
  
"Cover that mouth of yours..." Phillona cried as the Marlboro started to open its mouth, "...and your nose..."  
  
Sifan did as Phillona told him to.  
  
The Marlboro opened its mouth and released a dark greenish gas that soon blurred the air around them. Sifan felt his eyes water. He was running short of fresh air and he had the urge to take his hand of his mouth. But he decided against it and then, the two of them broke into a run. They ran, hoping the Marlboro wouldn't shoot out one of its tentacles and grab either of them. Fortunately, it didn't happen and after a few minutes of exasperating running, they found themselves far from anything that looked like a Marlboro.  
  
Sifan gasped for air, panting badly as Phillona took in large draughts of air.  
  
"Hoo boy..." Phillona said, "That...that was close..."   
  
"A-Are we there yet?" Sifan mumbled.  
  
"Yeah well, just a little farther..." Phillona replied, "and we'll reach a cave...filled with more Marlboros, Iron giants, hexa dragons, ruby dragons, tonberries and-"  
  
"Enough already..." Sifan said, now breathing normally, "Are there any good materia there?"  
  
"Good? Yes..." Phillona replied, "but the best ones of course, are in the cave after that...."  
  
"Lemme guess..." Sifan sighed, "That's where good ol' Omega Weapon's hangs around..."  
  
"Yup..."  
  
"Dad kicked Omega's butt back in our world..."  
  
"Wow..."  
  
"...Squall Leonhart was unstoppable...even Ultima Weapon had his share of the lionheart..." Sifan said, feeling a bit proud for a moment.  
  
Phillona smiled, "Well, I don't mean to boast but my father took down four weapons.... Ultima, Diamond, Ruby and Emerald..."   
  
Sifan's jaw dropped, "No kidding..."  
  
"Uh-uh..." Phillona shook her head, "He was a great fighter..."  
  
"But he never got to be my father..." she completed as Sifan watched her walk away to the end of the pathway leading into a cave.  
  
He felt bad for Phillona as he walked up to her and stood beside her. She was staring at the rocky cones protruding from the ragged top of the caves. The uneven ground showed no signs of moisture and it was as dry as it could get. The walls were dirty and had moss growing on it. The entire place looked like it hadn't been disturbed for ages.   
  
Phillona just waited, thinking of something and then she turned to Sifan, "This is it...we can most probably take on all the monsters here...except maybe a Marlboro...and then we'll get the materia at the end of this cave...after that, its up to you if you wanna flirt with Omega..."  
  
"Maybe we'll stop with the materia in this cave..." Sifan replied, "I am not all that eager to fight Omega either..."  
  
"Okay..." Phillona replied, "It's dark in there though..."  
  
"Yeah well..." Sifan said, "I am sure we'll be able to see a bit at least..."  
  
They slowly began to make their way into the caves, still not knowing where they were going. However, their eyesight adapted to the dark in a few minutes and they were able to see, even though they couldn't do so very clearly.  
  
A giant footstep thundered in their ears around a corner and a few bats screeched over Phillona and Sifan's heads.   
  
"Must be an iron giant." Sifan mumbled taking out his gunblade, "this is my luckiest day yet..."  
  
"Hey I've got a sleep coral..." Phillona said, digging in her leather skirt's pocket.  
  
"Neat..." Sifan sheathed his sword.  
  
The Iron giant came rushing out of the corner and Phillona threw the sleep coral straight at the iron giant. It caught him on his forehead and burst into pieces, releasing a pale yellow gas. The iron giant took a lazy step forward and dropped his humungous weapon. He hung his head and began to snore straight away.  
  
They tiptoed past the ice giant further in to the zigzag pathways of the cave.   
  
"Hey, you're not bad as I thought..." Sifan muttered.   
  
"Do you want me to bash you with a coconut again...?" Phillona retorted.  
  
"Geez...ok...I am sorry..." Sifan mumbled as they approached a large boulder blocking their way. Fortunately, there was a small opening at the lower right corner that was narrow enough to fit only one person.   
  
"You go first..." Phillona said, quickly.   
  
Sifan nodded and squeezed himself through the passageway. After he crawled out of the opening to the other side of the boulder, he heard a distant rumble in the direction from which he had come.  
  
"Seef!" Phillona cried, "Something woke up the iron giant..."  
  
Soon enough, loud and crashing footsteps began to echo in the air as Phillona crouched to crawl through the opening. Sifan crouched to the ground as the giant's feet appeared around the corner a few feet away behind Phillona. The iron giant gazed at her and rushed to her, his gigantic sword raised over his head. Sifan noticed that she was not crawling fast enough and that a part of her body was still under the Iron giant's sword. He reached out his hand to her and yelled, "Take my hand!"  
  
She hesitated for a second when Sifan screamed again, "Take my hand, DAMMIT!"  
  
She reached out and grasped his hand tightly. As the sword came swishing down, Sifan yanked Phillona with all his strength and she slid out of the passageway. The sword crashed behind her and the ground shook heavily. The iron giant let out a frustrated holler and marched away as Sifan sat on the ground, still holding Phillona's hand.  
  
"You're and idiot!" he screamed, "An absolute idiot...couldn't you crawl faster...?"  
  
She looked at him quietly.  
  
"He almost killed you..." Sifan continued yelling, "H-He...Y-You would have died and...."  
  
She continued watching him.  
  
"I swear Phillona...if you ever...scare me like that again..." he said, still shouting.   
  
A small tear rolled down her face.   
  
"Don't start crying!" Sifan screamed, "You're still alive for God's sake!"  
  
She nodded and wiped the tear away from her face.  
  
Sifan took heavy breaths, and looked at her.  
  
[What's wrong with me...]  
  
"I am sorry..." she said quietly.  
  
He stood up from the ground and stretched out his hand to her, still not saying anything to her.  
  
  
  
She took his hand and stood up near him, "Why w-were you so upset with m-me...?"  
  
"....................."  
  
The other side of the boulder was still as dark as the previous one as Phillona let go of Sifan's hand.  
  
"...You would've died....." He said slowly.  
  
The both of them were quiet for a few minutes when Phillona spoke again.  
  
"S-Seef..." she said quietly, "I've always...wished.... for the past ten years...t-that...I'd j-just die..."  
  
"Don't be ridiculous..." Sifan muttered, irritated at Phillona's aspiration.  
  
"And..." Phillona replied slowly, "W-When...Mideel...was burnt up yesterday by someone I once loved and w-when they booted me out...I couldn't take anymore..."  
  
[Oh my God...don't tell me...a few minutes ago...t-that iron giant incident....]  
  
"Seef, the only reason I crawled so slowly was..." She sniffed, "...so that I can d-die..."  
  
She burst into tears, as Sifan stood paralyzed with the thought that the only reason Phillona was crawling so slowly through the opening was to kill herself. To be cut into half by the iron giant's sword.  
  
Sifan swallowed as she continued to cry. He didn't know what to do or what to say.  
  
[But ...an hour ago...you kept smiling...a-and imitating me...and...saying all those stuff...arguing with m-me...as if it was all fine...now, you're telling me you wanted to d-die...?]  
  
"P-Phillona..." Sifan said, "I never thought.... I mean...the way you were an hour ago..."  
  
Phillona continued to sniff.   
  
"Don't cry..." was all Sifan could say.  
  
"....................."  
  
"Screw materia hunting..." Sifan snapped, "We're going back..."  
  
  
  
He walked past Phillona when she caught him by the arm, "N-No...we've come this far..."  
  
"Yeah..." Sifan grunted, "But who knows what you'll try next time..."  
  
"I won't try anything...." she sniffed.  
  
Her tear-filled eyes strayed on to his. He walked to her and looked at her for some time and heaved, "Alright... but ...If you try anything, Phillona.... I will never forgive you..."  
  
"Seef...?" she asked in a trembling voice.  
  
"Yeah...what is it?"  
  
She replied in a small, frightened and pleading tone, "Hold my hand...."  
  
*************************  
  
------------------------------________________________________-  
  
Note from the author: ok guys...sorry for making this chapter really short (shorter than the last short one)...but I have this sudden writer's block (sigh...I know every other author gets it too...)...and I couldn't really think of any heavy action or plot twists for that matter...and also...I had to add a bit of fluff...(to be honest...I don't think I am too good at it. Neither do I think I've added enough actually...)   
  
Anyway, you can expect some serious action in the next chapter...hopefully, I shouldn't have any sort of writer's block...AH YES AND OF COURSE! THE BEST NEWS FOR THE LAST! I AM taking my friend's Laptop to med School! Meaning there's no business of waiting till December... I am going to keep updating regularly as I am doing now...so people! REJOICE AND REVIEW! And of course, please keep the faith...my first reviewer stopped reading and kicked my fic out of his/her favorites list...kinda upset about that actually...anyway...you guys rock...keep reviewing... 


	32. CHAPTER 32

Chapter 32  
  
Phillona's palm was warm and soft when she placed it in Sifan's hand. She looked up at him with watery eyes and smiled faintly. He didn't really feel all that comfortable holding Phillona's hands but she did. Seeing that she needed it, he didn't let go of her hand. He just nodded and the both of them proceeded to the deeper and darker pathway of the cave.  
  
"Phillona..." Sifan whispered, as he and Phillona walked on, "just be cheerful, ok?"  
  
[I know it isn't easy being in your shoes but...]  
  
"...You're not chained to any responsibilities any more..." he said, watching her, "Look at me...in balamb, the entire cavalry wanted me to be an almighty gunblade warrior like my father...but I gave a rat's ass...I didn't chain myself to the responsibility of stepping into my father's shoes... "  
  
"You're free, Phillona..." he continued, "free to be yourself.... you can live life the way you've always wanted to..."  
  
  
  
Phillona smiled at him, "Thanks... it's comforting that way..."  
  
"It was?" Sifan said, amused, "I wasn't even trying..."  
  
"Oh really?"   
  
"Yeah..." he lied.  
  
She tilted her head and looked at him, a smile on her face.  
  
[Don't look at me like that...it makes my head go all fuzzy...]   
  
"Can I stay with you till I find a job somewhere...?" she asked slowly, "Only till I find a house or a job...whichever comes first..."  
  
"Er...well..." Sifan dragged his voice.  
  
Lyris had never barged into his head more painfully.  
  
{Just say 'yes'...}  
  
[But I like to be alone...]  
  
{Fine, I'll NEVER TALK TO YOU AGA-}  
  
[OK OK...Geez...I'll let her stick around...]  
  
"Yeah fine..." Sifan replied, turning to Phillona, "I'd really prefer being on my own but ...you can stay..."  
  
She nodded, "Always want be a lone wolf... huh?"  
  
"Lone wolves don't usually hold hands..." Sifan muttered feeling Phillona's gentle grasp on his hand, "just consider this a small favor...nothing more."  
  
"I guess you're just doing it out of pity..." Phillona said, "Poor, backstabbed, homeless, orphan girl who can't face life anymore..."  
  
He tightened his hand around Phillona's palm so hard that she let out a small shout, "Ow!"  
  
"Sorry..." Sifan said calmly.  
  
"Why did you do THAT for?"  
  
"For the same reason you thumped me with a coconut."  
  
"...................."  
  
"For having stupid ideas of what I thought of you...."  
  
"Yeah but a coconut wasn't so bad..."  
  
"You made me bleed!" Sifan retorted.  
  
"Buckets of blood, right?" Phillona said sarcastically.  
  
After arguing about which one hurt more (the coconut or a tight finger clutch), Phillona removed her hand from Sifan's, rolled her fingers into a fist, and drove it into Sifan's stomach. The air went out of him as he bent forward, groping his stomach.  
  
"Oops..." Phillona said, "I was just playing..."  
  
She bent over to see if Sifan was okay when he shot out his free arm and wrenched Phillona's arm behind her, "Hee hee...who's the martial arts master now...?"  
  
Pulling her hand free from his grasp, she elbowed him hard and threw him over her shoulder to the ground. Sifan was flat on the rocky floor, his head spinning like a merry-go-round.  
  
She stretched out her hand to Sifan. He refused to take it and got up on his own.  
  
He was dusting his pants while Phillona stood in front of him, her eyes glued to him. He straightened up, deciding not to waste anymore time fooling around with Phillona.   
  
"Let's go...." She said, as if she had read his thoughts.  
  
They walked together quietly, each lost in their own thought. After a few steps, suddenly, they heard a loud roar of a monster ahead of them. And then, unexpectedly, the air went mute again. Sifan and Phillona slowly inched their way towards the source of the sound.  
  
A dead Behemoth was lying on the ground. A man stood over the fallen monster. His torso was cloaked in dark red. He wore a large, rusty warrior's leg armor. Grey hair flowing down the sides of his face and one closed eye were the characteristic features of his face. In his hand, he held a gigantic sword.   
  
He swung it at the dead monster's horns and they broke and fell to the ground. He picked it up and put it in a bag. He walked closer to where Sifan and Phillona stood. He almost went past them when Sifan caught a glimpse of his face at close range. His heart flipped. It was the same person who had caught him by the neck in the golden saucer airship. It was the very same person who had mistaken Sifan for Relafen Almasy.   
  
"Hey wait..." Phillona said when he almost walked past them, "Y-You took on a behemoth on your own...?"  
  
The man didn't answer immediately but after a few seconds he spoke in the same cold voice that Sifan had heard, "You see anyone else around missy?"  
  
"Uh well..." Phillona said, gazing at the bag where he had put the behemoth's horns, "You must be some kinda...er...hunter..."  
  
"I am a poacher..." the man replied, "I hunt monsters for their skin, horns...anything that sells in the market..."  
  
"Oh..." Phillona said, "Well...we're materia hunting..."  
  
"Well...we're ALSO running out of time..." Sifan muttered, not understanding why Phillona was making conversation with a poacher  
  
"So am I..." came the impatient reply of the man.  
  
"Well..." Phillona said, "If...um...you can help us with the monsters...we'll give you a part of our pay..."  
  
The man thought for a while, his single eye staring at Sifan, "How much..."  
  
"15%..." Sifan replied flatly.  
  
"Farewell..." came the immediate reply.  
  
"No wait! 20%..." Phillona shouted as the man walked away, "25%!"  
  
The man disappeared around a corner turning a deaf ear to Phillona. She sighed, "Oh well...guess it's up to us now..."  
  
The both of them kept walking till they approached a turn.  
  
"Ok...this is it..."Phillona said, "Around that turn...there'll probably be a monster. There's always one at the end of the cave. You will see a small crater-like depression on the ground. Past the depression will be a circular boulder that is movable. The crater-like opening on the ground has the materia that we want and the path behind the circular boulder leads to the big guy himself...Omega..."  
  
Sifan nodded and together with Phillona, he inched his way around the turn. A ruby dragon was sleeping on the ground quietly. Near it's tail was the ground cavity Phillona had talked about. Sifan stood on his tiptoe and saw a few materia shining inside. And similar to what Phillona had said, behind the Ruby dragon was a circular stone blocking the entrance to another cave.   
  
"Wanna try and sneak past the dragon for the materia...?" Sifan whispered.  
  
"I am not good at sneaking...." Phillona replied softly.  
  
"Fine, I'll do it..." Sifan said and turned around to the dragon. Phillona started to get nervous and a worried look soon appeared on her face as Sifan slowly tiptoed past the dragon. It was humungous with red scaly skin for a hide and large nostrils and a horn that extended backwards till the middle of it's back. Each of its claws was as big as Sifan's hand, it's bat-like wings along with its fangs and snake-like tail only made Sifan shudder. He walked past the tail and crouched near the cavity on the ground. There were loads of bones piled among which lie a few shiny materia.  
  
[Maybe the monsters bring all the materia hunters here after they kill them. Then they take their own sweet time eating them, I guess...]  
  
He picked up the materia one by one as Phillona looked on nervously. After reluctantly turning the pile of bones inside out, Sifan was convinced that there weren't anymore.   
  
[Ten materia. Not bad. Not bad at all...]  
  
Sifan stood up and was about to start his way back across the sleeping ruby dragon when the poacher they had run into earlier appeared around the corner. He noticed the sleeping dragon- tiptoeing Sifan scenario and smiled. Suddenly, he cast a loud thunder spell on the wall of the cave, disturbing the dragon's sleep. The dragon shot up immediately. Noticing Sifan stand inches in front of it, it lunged its head out for a bite. Fortunately, Sifan avoided it with a backward jump and whipped out his gunblade. Phillona joined Sifan and the poacher for the fight against the ruby dragon that stood up and stretched itself.  
  
"What the hell were you thinking!?" Sifan fumed standing near the poacher who was calmly waiting with his sword supported on his shoulder, "I would've been dragon feed..."  
  
"I doubt it..." The man said, "Ruby dragons prefer fully-grown humans..."  
  
[Wise guy...]  
  
Phillona cast a protect spell on Sifan and when she was about to do the same on the poacher, he raised his hand, "save your MP, I don't need it."  
  
The ruby dragon seemed to have taken a dislike to the man's arrogant words. It rushed straight at him to swipe him with its claws. It ended up swiping his sword instead when he brought it down for a block. He then thrust it upwards and the blade sunk into its lower neck, making it bleed profusely.  
  
"Listen kids..." The man said, "Rule number one: Always go for a dragon's neck or throat...they are literally disabled when they can't use their throats for their breath attacks..."  
  
The dragon didn't want to take this insult lightly either. It wanted to prove that it could still use its breath attacks and make a fool of his attacker. It stood on its hind limbs, spread its wings and tried to spew out a blazing stream of fire. But it fell to the ground gasping and shorts spurts of fire were the only things that came out of its mouth.   
  
Sifan jumped forward and mentally connected his summon materia with his mind, "Let 'er rip, dragon boy ..."  
  
Bahamut landed with a deafening thud in front of the coughing and gasping ruby dragon. He roared in an ironic manner as if to say, "You're a goddamn shame to our race..."  
  
With that, Bahamut rid the ruby dragon of life's miseries with a sweltering mega flare and the battle came to a rather early end.  
  
After Sifan and party re-appeared, Sifan turned to the poacher after sheathing his sword, "It would have been easier if had just let it sleep..."  
  
The man walked over to the dead ruby dragon, ignoring Sifan. He lifted its head and placed it on a rock. He then took his sword and with an inhuman force, smashed its blunt edge over the dragon's snout. He then forced open its mouth and gathered the bloody and broken fangs into his bag.  
  
He walked over to Sifan and did something with his face that Sifan guessed to be a smile.  
  
"He wouldn't have let us do that if he were asleep..." the man replied.  
  
"You have a name..." Sifan asked him, "Or should we call you poachy?"  
  
Phillona couldn't help but snigger a little.  
  
"You want me to stick you against a wall and raise you off your feet again..." the man said, sticking his face inches near Sifan's.  
  
Sifan's smile only irritated him even more. He was about to punch Sifan's lights out when Phillona intervened, "Alright you guys...cut it out..."  
  
"You wanna pick a fight with this guy? He'll end up selling your damn liver..." She whispered to Sifan under her breath.   
  
Phillona quickly spun around to the poacher, "Uh...we had agreed on 25%..."  
  
"No need..." the man snapped immediately, "The ruby dragon fangs will get me 100 times your measly 25%..."  
  
The man began to walk away swiftly but he turned around after a couple of seconds, "The name's Setzin...not poachy..."   
  
With that he disappeared around the corner.  
  
Sifan shot a glare at the circular stone and looked back at Phillona, "Wanna go Omega yourself to death...  
  
She was about to reply when an iron giant's cry echoed in the direction of the cave where Omega Weapon lived.  
  
Sifan's curiosity got the better of him and he rushed to the circular boulder despite Phillona's protests. He slowly inched away the boulder and peered through the opening. Phillona stuck her head under Sifan's arm and watched with him.  
  
In what looked like a large cave with a flat, even ground, lay an Iron giant with one arm missing. Over him stood a large four-legged monster with the iron giant's arm in its mouth. Its entire body was covered by a bluish-silver armor. Its head was shaped like a gargoyle's and it towered as high as the iron giant who was lying sprawled on the ground. It spat out the iron giant's arm and glared at the almost-dead giant with its bright red eyes. It raised its forelimb and flattened the giant's head with it, crushing it to nothingness. The giant let out an ear-piercing holler and faded off to its death. The Iron giant's killer roared triumphantly and marched away into the shadows out of Sifan's line of vision, it's thundering steps echoing in Sifan's head. Sifan was speechless. What he just saw was none other than Omega Weapon himself.  
  
Sifan rolled back the stone quietly and turned around to Phillona whose eyes were as wide as his.  
  
"T-To the beach..." Sifan stuttered, "O-On the d-double..."  
  
***********************  
  
-------------------------------------__________________________  
  
Note from the author:I found a pic on the net EXACTLY like the way i imagined Sifan to be,...i posted it on my bio(click on my name)...take a look if you wanna see how Sifan looks although originally its some anime character or something...BUT HEY ...he's the perfect picurre of Sifan i had in mind... 


	33. CHAPTER 33

Chapter 33  
  
Sifan Leonhart watched the evening sunrays light up the seawater over and around the dome of Aquacity from his window. He lazily gazed at the clock on the wall. It showed that it was already half an hour past the time Avatar was supposed to meet him. He yawned and stretched his arms, a bit worried as to where Avatar could be at that moment. Avatar had said he would meet them at the Aquadia inn but there was still no sign of him. Sifan sighed and put on his coat and walked out of his room. He walked down the narrow corridor of the inn and knocked on a door. A few minutes later, Phillona sleepily opened her room door.  
  
"You're lazier than I thought...." Sifan said watching her sleepy face.  
  
"Yeah well..." Phillona yawned, "All that arguing with the materia hunter office about the pay for our materia's got me really tired..."  
  
"But it was worth it, right?" Sifan said, "I mean we have 40, 000 gils now, thanks to your mouth.... we can live off it for another month..."  
  
She smiled sleepily, "Avatar here yet?"  
  
Sifan shook his head, "Nope..."  
  
"Strange..." she said moving aside, "Wanna come in?"  
  
Sifan shook his head again, "Nah...I just thought I'd check on you...whether you're still alive..."  
  
She looked at him bluntly, "I gave up the idea of killing myself after your -er- words of wisdom..."   
  
"Anyway..." he sighed, "I am gonna go to that coffee bar a few blocks away and grab a cappuccino..."  
  
She smiled, "Can I come?"  
  
"No...I enjoy my coffee when I am alone with it..."  
  
"Suit yourself." she said with a smile and closed the door.  
  
Sifan stood there blinking for a few seconds when she opened the door again with a satisfied smile, "Second thoughts?"  
  
He put a hand to his forehead and sighed, "Hurry up before all the tables get filled ..."  
  
************************  
  
The Liquid Nitrogen in which the body was suspended glowed brightly as Professor Lorenz stood in front of it, involved deeply in thought. He had placed the container vertically now and the body inside bobbed up and down. Lorenz smiled. His experiment had been an absolute success...he had resurrected him just like he had wanted. However, Lorenz's purpose was still incomplete...he wanted control over him too.   
  
"So Sephiroth..." Lorenz said watching the silver-haired body inside the glass container, "Welcome back..."  
  
He broke in to a mad laughter as if Sephiroth had said something to him.  
  
"I'll tell you what I've done with you..." Lorenz said, "the life stream within you...I've made a little alteration to it...as of now...your memory is suppressed...it's in your head but its compressed and stored in one corner..."  
  
Sephiroth's body remained motionless.  
  
"Why did I do that...?" Lorenz asked the container, as if it were alive, "Well, don't be silly...if I gave you your memory...this world won't exist anymore..."  
  
His cell phone beeped and he answered it immediately, "Rupert?"  
  
He pranced up and down in his lab while talking, "Just get the frickin' airship ready, will you?"  
  
"I need you to handle the container with care..." he continued, "Just deliver the damn thing in one piece to the abandoned church in Nibelheim..."  
  
Lorenz hung up the phone and walked back to the cylindrical container and punched a few buttons on its keypad. A coat of steel slid up from the bottom and covered the container on all sides, making it impossible to see what was inside.  
  
"Sorry pal..." Lorenz said, imagining Sephiroth was listening, "Can't let the whole world go berserk by showing 'em you're back..."  
  
*************************  
  
Sifan stirred his coffee with the straw, trying to get the sugar to blend with the cocoa, "These guys can't even stir coffee properly..."  
  
"Quit complaining..." Phillona said sitting opposite him on the table, "There are harsher things in life..."  
  
Sifan didn't know what she was referring to but something told him she was right. There WERE harsher things in life...and Phillona was the one who had experienced them...not Sifan. She smiled back when he looked up at her.  
  
[Just keep smiling....]  
  
He was about to say it out aloud but he didn't.   
  
He returned to his coffee, ignoring them loud 'wild chocobos' band music being played across the speakers on the ceiling of the coffee house.  
  
"You left a note with the receptionist just in case Avatar turns up, right?" Phillona asked him, sipping her cup of steaming coffee.  
  
Sifan nodded. Satisfied he had stirred his coffee enough, he lifted his cup to his mouth. He almost dropped it when Gerard walked in to the place. Phillona followed Sifan's eyes and saw Gerard. She swallowed and turned back to her coffee and continued sipping as if Gerard was a complete stranger. However, a few seconds later, she pushed the coffee aside and sunk her head into her hands.  
  
Gerard didn't notice Phillona or Sifan. He took a seat on a stool near the counter and started conversing with a girl sitting near him.  
  
Phillona removed her head from her hands, and looked at an expressionless Sifan. He quietly spoke while sipping his coffee "Ignore him..."   
  
Phillona didn't reply. She absent-mindedly kept staring at the table, an avalanche of thoughts and memories rushing through her head. She bit her lip and looked up at Sifan, "Can we leave...?"  
  
Sifan sighed, "You want to run away...?"  
  
"What do you want me to do...?" She asked him, with a hand on her temple, "walk up to him and sock him in the face..."  
  
"Yup..." Sifan replied, "but heck...you're a girl..."  
  
She smiled at him, "Nice try, but I am still not gonna punch Gerard..."  
  
He finished his coffee quickly and placed the right amount of gil on the table, "Let's go..."  
  
She stood up and walked slowly behind him towards the exit, hoping she wouldn't get Gerard's attention. But when they crossed Gerard, he shot out his hand and grabbed Phillona by her wrist, "Thought I didn't see ya, did you my little angel...?"  
  
Sifan had almost walked out before he turned around and saw Gerard grinning at Phillona, clutching her by her wrist.   
  
He sighed and walked back to the stool where Gerard sat, munching something and talking to Phillona, evidently pleased with himself. When he saw Sifan walk up to him, he grinned even more widely, "So...she's your girl now?"  
  
A few punks seated near Gerard cackled with snickers. But when they saw Sifan's gunblade hang by his side, they silently turned back to their drinks. Phillona tried to yank her hand free but Gerard maintained his grip.  
  
"Seems like yer winnin' hearts all over this blasted planet darling..." Gerard muttered, "Pretty boy here, Commander Relafen, you even had mine once..."  
  
  
  
"Phillona has a few things to do..." Sifan said calmly, "So let her go..."  
  
Gerard ignored Sifan and turned back to Phillona.  
  
"Gerard..." Phillona said softly, "Why did you do it...?"   
  
"I had to, darling..." Gerard replied, "How else am I gonna earn the megabucks this world has to offer..."  
  
"But we..." she started, "That night...you said you still n-needed...m-me...I believed you..."  
  
Sifan knew soon enough why Phillona was weak against Gerard. He was her first love...   
  
"I did...honest, cross my heart..." Gerard said, "But then, we all gotta make sacrifices darlin'..."  
  
Sifan was getting impatient; "Let her go Gerard...she has nothing to do with you anymore..."  
  
"Aww..." Gerard said lifting Phillona's face by her chin, "I am sure she can be mine again if she wants to-"  
  
Phillona snatched her hand away from him violently. He leant back on the table and grinned at Phillona, "You know...I have no regrets for what I did...I never did like you TOO much anyway..."  
  
She wanted to walk away but Gerard hopped down from his stool and stood in Phillona's way, "I mean...all those times when you used to cry on my shoulders wishing you had parents.... wishing that you weren't a damn Orphan...wishing you weren't so alone..."  
  
Gerard's words seemed to affect her and she struggled hard to choke back tears while Gerard continued, "Every time you cried I felt sick that I had a girlfriend like you...always feeling pain and stuff...I mean...the only thing I saw in you were your good looks...smooth skin..."  
  
Sifan's hand tightened around his gunblade handle as Gerard proceeded to hurt Phillona even more, "...When I got you to love me, I guess I got more than I had bargained for...I mean...was it my fault you had to be a bloody Orphan? You kept sharing all your hurt with me when I didn't want any of it..."  
  
"I loved you for your body...your looks..." Gerard persisted, "Not for who you are...not for the bloody orphaned, sad, broken-hearted-"  
  
Gerard let out a loud dog-like yelp when Sifan hammered the blunt edge of his gunblade on his shoulder. Wanting to hurt him even more, he thrust the gunblade's black handle into Gerard's stomach and he sank to his knees with pain, droning like a hurt puppy.  
  
[I ain't done with you yet...]  
  
Sifan turned a deaf ear to Phillona's cries and assaulted Gerard with a furious hack. It hit Gerard so hard that his body smashed against a table and his head bounced off the table's edge. Before he could fall to the ground, Sifan kicked him on his chin, and followed it with an upward swing of his gunblade. While his blade grazed Gerard's body violently, Sifan triggered his weapon and the blast scorched Gerard's already-bloody chest. He went skidding backwards, rolled a couple of times on the withered carpet and lay still on the ground, seconds away from complete death.   
  
Sifan Leonhart stood wheezing over Gerard's crumpled form, sweat dripping down the sides of his face. The crowd around him stood like statues, complete with pale looks on all their faces.  
  
Phillona gave a soft cry and sauntered over to Gerard. She threw a phoenix down and emptied an elixir on him before he could bleed to death from the gunblade wounds. Without looking back at him, she walked over to Sifan and wrapped her hand tightly around his arm.  
  
"Seef...let's go..." she said and dragged him to the exit, with tears in her eyes.  
  
But before could open the door, it swung open and a couple Shin-Ra soldiers hurried in. Their eyes became pools of shock when they saw Gerard lying on the ground. Sifan yanked out his gunblade but the soldier raised his gun to his forehead, "Put that thing away kid..."  
  
Sifan hesitated when the other soldier raised his gun at him too. Sifan reluctantly sheathed his gunblade as one of the soldiers wrenched Sifan's hand and slipped a handcuff on it. Phillona began to protest but Sifan shook his head when she looked at him.  
  
[Its no use...Aquadia is Shin-Ra colony, right?]  
  
The soldier prodded him out of the coffee bar's door into the streets of Aquadia city. Phillona followed but the other soldier stood in her way and shook his head, "You're boyfriend's spending the night in prison, miss...cant let you follow..."  
  
As he walked away, led by the soldier towards a forsaken street, he turned around and caught a very worried look from Phillona. The soldier pushed him forward and Sifan continued to walk towards an old, abandoned building at the end of a dark, dirty street.  
  
The soldier knocked on the door a couple of times and another soldier soon answered it. They exchanged words and the soldier at the door took charge of Sifan and pushed him into the room. It was very aged and looked more like a storeroom than a prison. However, there were a couple of jail cells, caged with black iron-railed doors. The ceiling paint hung like peeled paper on top of him. The bricks on the wall showed themselves clearly and a small tiny window stood at one corner of the cell before Sifan. The guard opened the cell and prodded Sifan inside. He grinned at him and locked the door with his keys. He turned out the light and left the prison room, after locking it from the outside.  
  
The room had gone pitch black as soon as the guard had left after turning out the lights. Sifan felt the wall and walked over to the stone 'bed' made out of concrete blocks and sat on it for sometime. Slowly, orange rays of the evening sun entered through the small window and lit Sifan's cell dimly. He watched the shadows of the window's railings on the ground in front of him and sighed. He lied back on the concrete bed and his back began to hurt almost immediately. He ignored it and quietly stared at the ceiling with his ocean blue eyes.  
  
***************************  
  
--------------8 years ago-------------  
  
The memory of him tripping over a rock and hitting his head on the ground slowly appeared in his mind. Quickly, he remembered that the reason he had tripped while he was running was because a man was chasing him. But another thing struck him; the only reason the man was chasing him was because he had tried to attack the man first...  
  
He tried opening his eyes but couldn't really succeed as his body was drugged. But his ears were working right and he could hear a couple of people standing over him and conversing. One had a deep voice while the other was a calm one. He recalled the latter voice belonged to the man who had chased him. He heard it speak first.  
  
"Well, doctor...?"  
  
"I've anesthetized him for now..."  
  
"My sleep spell didn't even make him blink...are you sure your anesthesia will work...?"  
  
"At the most, he might be able to hear us speaking...but he can't move a muscle..."  
  
"Good...how did your time with this young fella go...?"  
  
"Well...I tried talking to him but he was too traumatized to act normal...he even tried attacking me..."  
  
"So you had to anesthetize him..."  
  
"Yes..."  
  
"So what do you think is the best permanent solution...?"  
  
"Memory suppression ..."  
  
"Are you sure...?"  
  
"Yes...that's the only way we can rid him of his past that seems to be traumatizing him..."  
  
"I don't know about that, doc...Maybe he just needs a little love..."  
  
"Even if you DO pacify him, there's no guaranteeing that he might not attack you again...such is his state of mind right now..."  
  
"I still don't know why he attacked me, doctor...h-he even seemed to loathe me..."  
  
"Maybe it was something you said..."  
  
"I was just discussing what happened yesterday with a friend of mine..."  
  
"And he was eavesdropping...?"  
  
"Guess so...he sprung out from where he was hiding and attacked me...with a sword...he looks like a ten-year old and he carries a sword...what is this world coming to..."  
  
"So tell me...shall I go ahead with the memory suppression?"  
  
"..........Fine..."  
  
"Good.... oh by the way...I think I found his name inscribed on his sword..."  
  
"His name?"  
  
"Yes...his name..." he heard the doctor say as he injected another needle into his anesthetized body, "...his name is... Avatar Fenis..."  
  
************************  
  
---------------------------------___________________________-  
  
Note from the author: Another short update...I got just 3 revs for my last update :_( so that's why I became evil and delivered another short update...if I get more reviews, I ll post 2 chapters instead of one....sorry abt my way of asking reviews but a mans gotta do what a mans gotta do ^_~ so please review more...  
  
Anyway... well there are three people who I REALLY WANNA thank for stickin with my fanfic and reviewing every update.  
  
Kool Kaizer: Thanks for reviewing almost every chapter I post...you rock...(can't forget 'AWWSUM'...)  
  
Girlsdontcri: thanks a bunch for being a very loyal reader and reviewer...cheers kiddo... ^_~  
  
Moonlight chick: Ah yes... cant forget your bubbly and encouraging reviews...your reviews are one of those things that make me wanna write this fic forever...  
  
Aki Kitsune: I know you've posted only 2 reviews...but somehow...they seem really encouraging...please review more often...^_^  
  
Well...Also thanks to everyone who've been reading this fic so far (although it wud be reeeely nice if u posted reviews often too...) I haven't even finished half my fic and I am already thanking everyone...silly me...oh well...till next time...adios...and don't forget to review... 


	34. CHAPTER 34

Chapter 34  
  
Sifan Leonhart rubbed his eyes and sat up on the hard slab of stone that was supposed to be his bed. The early morning sunlight seeped in through the tiny window revealing the dust particles floating in the air. Sifan grunted and walked to a sink at the corner of the dark cell. He turned it on but no water came out. He sighed and was about to go back to sit on the slab when the door clicked open and the outside radiance stormed into the room. Sifan's eyes tickled as three figures walked into the room. He rubbed his eyes and looked again.  
  
Gerard stood with a frustrated look on his face while Relafen stood behind him, gripping Gerard's arm. Relafen scowled at the third figure, which Sifan recognized to be the soldier who had locked him up the previous night. The soldier hurriedly opened Sifan's cell door and Relafen threw Gerard inside.  
  
Relafen's blonde hair shone in the morning sunlight as he glared at Sifan, "Get yer ass outta there Leonhart...yer too sissy to be a criminal..."  
  
Sifan smiled at the scared stare Gerard gave him and walked outside the cell as the soldier locked the door shut and left the room, leaving Sifan and Relafen alone with Gerard in a corner of the cell.   
  
Sifan tried to look away but Relafen's smirk had already begun to irritate him.  
  
"Don't bother thanking me Leonhart..." Relafen mumbled, "It's just a favor I am doing for Phillona...not for yer sorry ass..."  
  
"Phillona?" Sifan asked surprised.  
  
"Yeah..." Relafen mumbled, "She called Shin-Ra headquarters last night and asked for me. I was out on a mission but she called again this morning ..."  
  
"................"  
  
"She wanted me to get you outta here..." Relafen said as he opened the door to leave, "I don't like to turn Phillona Strife down...even if it meant saving your skinny ass..."  
  
He walked out followed by Sifan. Phillona stood outside. After being cramped up in the cell all night, the air smelt good to Sifan and the sun looked more gorgeous than ever. He stretched himself while Relafen walked to Phillona.  
  
"Er, Relafen..." Phillona said, turning to Relafen.  
  
"What...?" Relafen asked quietly.  
  
"I didn't want Gerard in prison..."  
  
"I did..." Relafen muttered, "...for everything he's done to you...don't worry too much about it, Rupert's gonna get his butt outta there sooner than you think...till then he can rot for all I care..."  
  
"Well...thanks for getting Seef out..." Phillona said. Sifan hated the thought of Relafen being his hero; he just sighed and watched a cat scurry across the street.  
  
"Nothing to it..." Relafen replied.  
  
He almost walked away but then he stopped and turned to Phillona, "Well, uh...There's an airship race starting in Junon in about three hours...I'll be leaving in a couple of hours though... and uh..."  
  
"Yes...?" she said, with raised eyebrows.  
  
"Uh...well...I am racing my airship..." Relafen continued, "Thought you might wanna join me and my crew..."  
  
[H-He's asking her out? Relafen Almasy asking a girl out? I must be seeing things ...]  
  
"Yes, I'd love to..." Phillona replied, "Would it be fine if I met you at the dock in a couple of hours?"   
  
"Of course..." Relafen said, looking as if his entire world had become right, "I'll be waiting!"  
  
"See you then..." Phillona said, smiling at Relafen.  
  
"Yeah ..." Relafen said, grinning, "See ya around Leonhart..."  
  
[He said goodbye to me? He's gone bonkers...]  
  
Relafen disappeared around the corner into another building as Sifan turned to Phillona.   
  
Sifan just stood before her without saying a word.  
  
"What?" she said tilting her head to the side and smiling, "You're not happy to see me...?"  
  
"Nah..." Sifan said, carelessly, "What do you expect me to do...?"  
  
"A quick hug would be nice..." She said giggling to herself.  
  
"Geez..." Sifan sighed, "The price for freedom..."  
  
"Wise guy..." she mumbled as the two of them headed back to their inn.  
  
"How did you spend last night?" Sifan asked as they crossed the street.  
  
"Well, I spent most of it trying to catch Relafen..." she said, "and the rest of it...figuring out why I like you so much..."  
  
"........................."  
  
"Seef..." she said as they crossed the coffee bar, "Do you like me...?"  
  
"...I...er...yeah, maybe a little bit..." he mumbled as they approached their inn.  
  
"A little, huh? " she said smiling to herself, "You almost killed Gerard..."  
  
"I...uh..."   
  
"If I recall correctly..." Phillona continued as they walked up to their rooms in the inn, "He was hurting ME...not you..."  
  
"Yeah but he was kind of wasting my time too..." Sifan replied, not quite making sense.  
  
"You slash the living hell out of people who waste your time, Seef?" she said standing in front of her room door.  
  
"Get to the point ..." Sifan replied, dishing out his characteristic line.  
  
"What I am asking...is..." She looked at the polished floor on which they stood alone, "...do you care about me...?"  
  
He didn't answer. Lyris burst into in his head, willing to help immediately.  
  
{'YES'... say 'YES'...this isn't about you...this is about her...she needs it even if you don't...}  
  
[I dunno...]  
  
{You don't need to love her to care for her...I mean even friends care about each other...}  
  
"I know..." Phillona said looking at his eyes, "I know... that it's much too early for a person like you to answer a question like that..."  
  
[See Lyris...she wouldn't have said that if she's talking about the 'care' between friends...she's got Trex and Marlene for that...]  
  
Lyris made a noise that sounded like gnashing of teeth.  
  
He still didn't answer, too confused to tell the truth about whether he cared or not.  
  
Phillona waited, her hands tied behind her back, her head tilted to the side, her eyes glued to Sifan's.  
  
[Damn...she's beautiful...]  
  
"Uh..." Sifan rubbed the back of his neck, "I don't know..."  
  
She looked away from his line of vision, "Oh...well...I guess...I was asking too much..."  
  
She turned around and opened the door slowly, Sifan standing speechless behind her. She walked in to her room and turned around to close the door. She didn't smile when she saw Sifan. She just looked at the floor quietly as she shut the door, "I'll see you after my afternoon with Relafen..."  
  
With that, the door clicked shut.  
  
{Where did Squall and Rinoa go wrong? Do you have a gene that directs you to hold back when you shouldn't...}  
  
[No gene Lyris...It's just that... I am Sifan Leonhart...] Sifan replied as he walked to his room and slipped the key in its keyhole.  
  
{...Oh yeah sure... 'It's just that I am a mindless moron..." would have been more appropriate.}  
  
[Why are you so intent on me finding love...?]  
  
{Because you'll need it ...}  
  
[Don't start with me Lyris...]  
  
{Someday...you'll feel like it's all too much...someday you'll break down from that self-dependent character you think you are...someday you'll be all alone...}  
  
[........................]  
  
{That day is coming closer and when reality hits you hard, you'll wish for someone to hold you...someone to tell you it's alright...you're not going to be fine too long on your own ...mark my words, Sifan Leonhart, mark my words...}  
  
  
  
************************  
  
There was a knock on Sifan's door at about sundown. He had spent the entire afternoon lazing around his room, now and then staring across the window for signs of his best friend.  
  
Sifan opened up the door and noticed a bellboy stand in front of him with a small slip of paper in his hand,  
  
He looked at Sifan, "Er...Mr. Sifan Leonhart?"  
  
Sifan nodded, ignoring the prospect of being addressed as 'mister'.  
  
"Telegram for you..." he said and handed out the piece of paper to Sifan.  
  
Sifan thanked him and closed the door behind him, walking to the balcony while reading the paper. On it was imprinted in small but clear letters, 'MEET ME AT THE LICHITA HILLS INN, TOMORROW NIGHT. AVATAR."  
  
Sifan sighed and placed the piece of paper in his pocket.  
  
[A very blunt message for a guy who likes to talk his brains off...he didn't even tell me why he got held up...]  
  
Sifan walked back to his bed and plopped down. He stared at the clock on the wall.  
  
[Phillona and Relafen must be racing their airship now...]  
  
{And why is that of any concern to you...?}  
  
[Concern? It was just a thought Lyris...you know, I wish you stopped barging into my head every goddamn time and made a comment on everything I do, think or speak!]  
  
The smooth voice in his head that he had heard on so many occasions didn't reply. Sifan felt as though Lyris had gone away, hurt by Sifan's words.  
  
[Fine...sulk if you want.... I don't give a damn...]  
  
The silence didn't make his mood any better.  
  
**********************  
  
The submarine docked at Junon Harbor and Relafen led Phillona out to the dock. The air looked ecstatic with people running all around the place waving flags and colors of their favourite airship racers. Junon was usually know for its Shin-Ra occupancy but people from all over the world, from all the four continents, had gathered to witness the airship race.   
  
"...'Death Baron' won the race last year..." Relafen said as they proceeded out of the dock, leaving the submarine they had taken from Aquadia.  
  
"He's Trex's favourite..." Phillona replied walking beside Relafen, "Marlene likes 'Pegasus' though..."  
  
"Pegasus finished third last year right?" Relafen asked, as they entered the elevator that led to the airfield.   
  
"Yeah..." Phillona replied, "So...what do you think are your chances...?"  
  
"I dunno..." Relafen scratched his head, "I'll be happy if the twerps I have for a crew can fly this thing till the finish line..."  
  
"Oh C'mon..." Phillona giggled, "I mean...your crew cant be that bad..."  
  
"Hah!" Relafen said, laughing, "They almost flew into a cargo airship yesterday..."  
  
Phillona smiled, "And you're entering the race with a crew like that...?"  
  
"Well, I thought maybe that way..." Relafen said gazing at her beautiful eyes, "...you'd come with me...at least for the sake of the race if not for me..."  
  
"You mean..." Phillona said raising an eyebrow, "You're doing all this f-for me?"  
  
Relafen smiled back and nodded as a couple of fireworks went up and released a colorful display of smoke.  
  
The Shin-Ra airfield was huge and 6 airships stood in 6 separate runways. The edges of the airfields were roped and behind them stood cheering spectators and fans, hooting and screaming for their favourite racers.  
  
Relafen pointed to one of the airships, "The second one from the right...that's ours..."  
  
Relafen smirked as they arrived in front of his airship. It was long and had propellers on both sides of its steel body. Phillona noticed that Relafen had even got a couple of turbo boosters attached to the airship's tail. The entire craft was painted an ocean blue and the shine glittered in Phillona's mako blue eyes. The airship in front of her reminded her of the highwind. And it crossed her mind slowly that her parents...had died because of...an airship accident. If only Cloud and Tifa Strife had not boarded the airship, Phillona wouldn't have been an Orphan.  
  
She swallowed hard when Relafen interrupted her thoughts, "Hey...hurry up..."  
  
"R-Relafen..." Phillona stuttered thinking about the airship incident that had taken her parents' life, "I t-think it's better.... that I stay here and-"  
  
Relafen interrupted straight away, "No way darling..."  
  
She smiled at him, "I..."  
  
"You're scared what happened to your father and mother might happen again...?"  
  
She looked at him, surprised. He smirked his usual smirk, "I went through Shin-Ra's files on your history and all that..."  
  
She couldn't help but blush a little.  
  
(Relafen shows that he cares so easily...) She thought, (If only Seef....)  
  
"Hey...they're gonna start soon..." Relafen interrupted, "Wassa matter? Thinking of Leonhart?"  
  
Phillona shook her head very fast, "Er...no..."  
  
Relafen gave a loud whistle and the Airship's ramp slid out.  
  
Relafen suddenly scooped down and lifted Phillona in his arms, "Does this make you comfortable?"  
  
"Put me down!" Phillona screamed banging Relafen's chest with her fists.  
  
Relafen just smirked the 'Almasy' smirk and walked up the ramp into his airship.  
  
"Don't worry..." he said looking deep into her eyes, "I'll keep you safe...I promise..."  
  
Phillona gave up wriggling in his arms and clung to his neck as Relafen carried her into the hallway. The engines came to life and he slowly set her down and smiled at her, "Stay put honey...I'll be back in a minute to take you to the bridge..."  
  
Relafen flicked a strand of Phillona's hair to the side of her face and rushed away to his cabin.  
  
Phillona quietly watched him disappear. Soon, a lot of thoughts stumbled into her mind.  
  
(Relafen.... he's done so much for me already.... he risked his position as commander and evacuated gold saucer of the soldiers who were sent to arrest me, he gave me a ride home to Mideel only so I can save it from his superiors...and t-then this entire a-airship race thing...he entered just because he wanted me to spend the afternoon with him...in spite of the fact he slept late last night, he came immediately this morning when I called him to get Seef out of prison...he pushed Gerard into prison because....of a-all he d-did...)  
  
She thought of how hurt he looked a couple of days ago when she had turned him down. (Relafen...he...loves me.... a-and he...wants me to love him back... he looks so lonely at times...)  
  
She sighed and placed her hands on the window's ledge and stared at an eagle circling the sky.   
  
(I...I am lovelorn too...) she sunk her head in her hands, (Lovelorn.... just like Relafen...)  
  
(Maybe a relationship...is...not out of the question after all...)   
  
***********************  
  
_____________________________---------------------------------------  
  
From the author: Sorry for the boring chapter guys.... I am having writer's block again...so whenever there isn't any action or plot twist...Jus remember the poor author of this story is suffering from writer's block.... well...I myself don't like Relafen and Phillona together...but who knows? I might jus make Phillona fall for Relafen instead of Seef! **Evil glint** Hey... an authors gotta be different from the others to survive...eh heh...oh well...I am not giving away anything...it might be a Relona but then again...it can be a Sifona too...   
  
Anyway...review this chapter if you feel like it...I wont get al hung up...I am not expecting much revs for this chapter.... but ONLY THIS CHAPTER, MIND YOU! Oh...and get ready for the shock of your life...in the next few chapters...  
  
Oh well...anyway guys... I am already working on the next chapter...should be up soon...adios.... 


	35. CHAPTER 35

Chapter 35  
  
Sifan Leonhart ran his hand through the dark brown tresses of his hair and stared out through the balcony door, while sitting on his bed. The artificial 'sun' of Aquadia actually gave the entire place a sweltering feeling. Sifan thought of calling Aquadia weather control and complaining but decided against it. He looked beside his bed and on the coffee table, was a small magazine. Sifan took the magazine and lazily ran his eyes down the contents page. One of the articles managed to trigger his curiosity, it read, "The legend of Orion..."  
  
Sifan flipped to the corresponding page and began to read the article.  
  
Long long ago...after the second war of the magi...when guardian forces were known as Espers, there was an emperor by the name of Gestahl. He was the kind of person that did as he pleased and none dared to stand in his way though his will and purpose were always evil. One of his wicked wishes was to turn all Espers into a more usable form known as magicite. To accomplish this, Gestahl set out an all out search for the gateway connecting the human world to the world of the Espers i.e. guardian forces. Soon, he found it. Along with his General, Keftka, he planned to invade the esper world using his army. But in the course of time, Keftka's evil and hunger for power outstretched Gestahl's and eventually, Keftka saw Gestahl to his death at the gates of the Esper world.  
  
On entering the Esper world, Keftka, with his powerful magic, turned every esper he came across, even the peaceful ones, into magicite. Overwhelmed by Keftka's power and evil, most of the Espers gave in to his will and became magicite. Keftka didn't spare even a single Esper and he killed any esper that didn't bend to his magic. Among the rare Espers who stood against Keftka's powerful magic, was the king of the Esper world, Maduin. Keftka, seeing that Maduin was much more powerful than him, threatened to kill his wife and child if Maduin didn't turn himself into magicite. Maduin had no choice; he surrendered himself to Keftka as magicite in return for his wife and child's safety. Keftka however, tortured Maduin's wife and had his demented way of fun with her...before he killed her. And he did it all in front of Maduin's son, Orion. He saw that Orion was too weak to be a useful magicite and left him in the Esper world along with a few other weak Espers. Keftka left the esper world, happy with the hundreds of magicite he had received.   
  
Orion, under the trauma of having watched his mother tortured to death, became determined to re-construct the battered, ruined world left behind by Keftka. He grew powerful...more powerful than any other Esper to travel the tides of the universe.... and eventually.... he became the king of the Espers or Guardian forces. While Orion ruled over the world of Espers...the magicite Keftka had captured were released after Keftka was killed by a group of legendary warriors (Final Fantasy III)...however...a few of the released Espers died and only the remaining few made it back to their own world which was under the rule of king Orion. These Espers had served good-hearted humans while they were in the human world, and continued to do so even when they had settled down in Orion's world. However, when it came to Orion's attention that a few Espers were serving humans, he became furious. The only human Orion had experienced was Keftka and he was under the impression that all humans were like him. He was so angered that he said he'd banish or even KILL any Esper or guardian force that serves a human. So to this day ...guardian forces serve humans without Orion knowing it...  
  
Orion is rumored to be an entity powerful beyond anything that is imaginable. No one knows yet how he looks like. But the following are the conclusions of scholars who specialize in the study of Guardian forces. Though they haven't yet figured out Orion's physical structure, they say they have discovered the following through extensive research and information from the scrolls of the magi;  
  
Orion is supposedly guarded by his army of Guardian forces. A few of them are Shiva, Ifrit, Bahamut, Ramuh, Ixion, and the list goes on. Not even 10% of the names of his guardian forces are known as of now.  
  
After the army of guardian forces that protect Orion, inside Orion's castle, are seated the knights of the round. Rumors state that Cloud Strife possessed the power to summon the knights of the round but scholars have passed that to be a silly rumor.  
  
And then his second last line of defense consists of two guardian forces, perhaps, the ones next to Orion as far as strength is concerned. The Dark Esper Anima and the mysterious guardian force of Eden are supposedly his second line of defense.  
  
His final line of defense are two sword warriors...on his left, stands the warrior, Gilgamesh... while on his right, is the Undead Swordsman, Odin himself.  
  
Through the generations, Guardian forces have lost their ability to judge good from evil as they have been deceived, manipulated and tricked too many times. They've become entities that simply serve anyone who summon them. Orion however...is still in the dark as far as serving humans is concerned ...  
  
The only reason, perhaps, is that even his right hand, Odin...serves humans...and is afraid to tell the truth to Orion.  
  
But if Orion were to know...he has the power to destroy every guardian force he wants...but like his father...Orion is said to be good at heart and a good king...his only down side however...is his judgment of humans...  
  
Lately, yet another rumor has popped up that, in the heart of the omega caves, beyond the slaughtered bodies laid to the ground by Omega weapon, rests the materia that can summon Orion himself. However, scholars say that if any human were to summon Orion, Orion would most probably...annihilate our world...  
  
After that, the print in the magazine turned into a scribbled handwriting.  
  
Well, folks...that's it for this month's page on Legends. Catch you next month. We'll most probably feature: The Sword of Honor...  
  
Have a nice day...  
  
Sifan sighed heavily. He thought for a while about what he had read. He smiled to himself, folded the magazine and stuffed it into his pocket.  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
The ramp in Relafen's airship was getting ready to lift when a couple of Shin-Ra soldiers walked up the ramp carrying a cylindrical container into the airship.   
  
They ignored Phillona and proceeded across her though they felt it very alluring to look at her. They placed the steel container behind Phillona when Relafen walked out from a door.  
  
"Hey!" he said looking at the soldiers, "The hell do ya think yer doing?"  
  
The soldiers saluted Relafen and one of them spoke, "Sorry sir! General Rupert's orders. You are to deliver the container to the abandoned church in Nibelheim immediately after the airship race. You are to exercise extreme caution sir!"  
  
"You kidding?" Relafen snapped, "This is a race for God's sake! This ship's gonna be doing all sorts of turns and twists..."  
  
Phillona gulped at the thought of the airship doing 'turns' and 'twists' while the soldiers stared at each other and replied, "we're just following orders from General Rupert Sir!"  
  
Relafen nodded at the container, "What the heck is in there anyway?"   
  
"Confidential A-Class, Sir!" the soldier replied, "We don't know either...Sir!"  
  
"Ok ok get outta here..." Relafen said and the two soldiers disappeared. Relafen pressed a button on the wall and the ramp lifted from the ground and shut against the airship after giving a rusty churning sound.  
  
"These morons I have for a crew..." Relafen said turning to Phillona, "They scraped the ramp against a mountain, it has been wobbly ever since..."  
  
Relafen walked over to the cylindrical container that the soldiers had brought in. He scratched his head and read the metal plate on it, "Property of Shin-RA Bio labs. If found, please return to Shin-Ra HQ, Midgar or Contact Prof. Lorenz 9842198441..."  
  
"Shoulda known better..." Relafen sighed, "They want me to ship their lab rats..."  
  
"Hey..." Phillona said gazing out of the window, "I think we better get to the bridge...the race is gonna start..."  
  
Relafen nodded in agreement and led Phillona to the bridge.   
  
As soon as Phillona and Relafen entered the bridge, one of the crewmembers came running to Relafen, "Gosh, sir! The start signal is in 30 seconds!"  
  
"30 seconds!?" Relafen cried, "The hell you're doing stand ing here? Get the goddamn engines running..."  
  
"Gosh, at once, sir!" he mumbled and ran to the back of the airship.  
  
Relafen walked over to Phillona, "I am gonna be a little busy now, sweetheart...you know, ordering this crew of mine to fly this thing..."  
  
"Sure thing." Phillona said, "Best of luck."  
  
"You can sit over there...." Relafen said pointing to a cushioned seat with seatbelts, "remember to buckle up..."  
  
Phillona did as she was told and made her way to the seat while Relafen stood behind his crew. He barked random orders and they ran up and down the bridge pulling levers and operating control panels.  
  
"OK..." Relafen eyed the signal light on the runway, "10...9..."  
  
He ran his hand through his blonde hair and waited anxiously as the death baron airship on the runway next to him roared into life. On the other runway to his left, in a light shade of silvery white, stood the gorgeous airship 'Pegasus' with its smooth engine noise.  
  
"5...4..." Relafen muttered under his breath watching the red digitized signal, "3...2..."  
  
"1...GO!" he barked and the airship lifted up from the ground while slowly moving forward at the same time.  
  
The jet boosters on the Death Baron's tail threw out red blazes of flaring brightness and the airship shot out like a rocket while the Pegasus followed behind it, almost immediately. The other airships had starting troubles as Relafen's airship rose into the air, still a few feet behind the Pegasus that was on the tail of the baron.  
  
Relafen anxiously surveyed the ground that went farther and farther away as the three airships gained altitude. He kept his eyes peeled on the bright red sunlight-reflectors making a trail around the continent, leading to the finish line.   
  
"Keep yer eyes on the reflectors..." Relafen shouted at his crew, "AND before you..."  
  
As they raced over the ocean, Relafen's airship gained speed but so did Pegasus and the Baron. The Baron strayed a little off course while Pegasus stayed on track. Strangely, instead of rushing forward as soon as the baron had gone a little off course, Pegasus maintained the same acceleration along the course.   
  
Relafen didn't quite understand, "Shit...what the hell is Pegasus waitin' for...?"  
  
Then suddenly, from behind, a black airship whooshed past Relafen's and almost collided with Pegasus. It jerked to the side and overtook Pegasus. Since the baron was going a little to the right ever since it had strayed off course, the black airship rushed forward to overtake the baron. And then, Relafen understood the baron's plan perfectly. The black airship almost whizzed past the baron when the baron suddenly swung back into the track, smashing the black airship's tail hard. The black airship spun chaotically and went swirling off course. Then, its engines went dead and it took a nosedive and splashed into the ocean.  
  
"Shit..." Relafen muttered, "The baron's an evil bastard and the Pegasus is a clever one...and me...I just get to watch..."  
  
Relafen glared back and saw that the other two airships had managed to lift off and were competing with each other behind Relafen. The 5 airships, with the baron in the lead, whizzed over land again and zoomed through a valley, causing the leaves and dust on the ground to fly everywhere.  
  
Suddenly, Pegasus lowered altitude, almost scraping a hillside hut. It immediately increased speed and shot straight to the space under the baron. Relafen thought of having his crew fly his airship behind Pegasus. However, he hesitated a bit when he noticed that instead of zipping away, the Pegasus stayed under the baron.   
  
Much to Pegasus's contentment, the baron took the bait. He tried to drop down and smash Pegasus. Pegasus swiftly moved to the side as the baron missed its target and went down much more than it had intended to. Pegasus soared upward and bolted across into the lead. The baron was taking its time to recover and Relafen seized the opportunity at once.  
  
"GO! GO! GO!" He cried and the crew gave the airship everything they had and Relafen's boosters burst into life and the airship darted across the sky, above the baron. Of the two airships trailing Relafen, one tried to imitate Relafen only to be rammed hard from below by the baron. It lost control and crashed into a forest below. The other airship followed behind the baron, with Relafen and Pegasus in the second and first positions respectively.  
  
The crew's head pilot wanted to race Pegasus but Relafen shook his head, "No..."  
  
"But sir..." the pilot persisted, "We're just seconds away from the finish line..."  
  
"I don't care..." Relafen said but stopped suddenly when he saw Phillona walk up beside him.  
  
"Hey..." she said, "Its boring jus sitting there..."  
  
"You'll get hurt dammit..." Relafen hissed as the four airships flew across the plains where a Midgar Zolom slithered under the sand.  
  
Phillona smiled, "Don't worry about me, just concentrate on the race..."  
  
Relafen reluctantly turned to the pilot again, "Just stay close to Pegasus' tail...we don't-"  
  
The force with which the Baron rammed Relafen's airship almost threw everyone off their feet. Phillona grabbed Relafen's arm and managed to maintain her balance as Relafen balanced himself by clutching the bridge's railing.  
  
"Damn @$#%^&...." Relafen muttered, "Who does he think he is..."  
  
The airship veered out of control and headed off course, wobbling awkwardly.  
  
BANG! Another smash from the baron almost sent Relafen's airship straight into a mountain. A crewmember cried almost immediately, "Sir! The baron's barraging has broken open the ramp!"  
  
"Shit!" Relafen mumbled and ran to the back of the airship followed by Phillona. The airship followed swiftly behind Pegasus as they continued to fly over Gondola village.  
  
Like they expected, the ramp had dropped open and the air was screaming into the airship wildly. They saw clouds zipping past them through the opening the ramp was supposed to close. Relafen ran to a corner and slammed on the emergency shutter and it slid down immediately and closed the airship's entrance at once.   
  
Phillona heaved a sigh of relief before gasping suddenly, "Relafen! T-The container!"  
  
Relafen's eyes searched his surroundings but there was no sign of the container that was supposed to be delivered to Nibelheim.  
  
He slapped his forehead, "Shit! It must've rolled off balance and fallen outside..."  
  
Phillona sighed but she couldn't argue with Relafen. She recalled that she DID hear a heavy, rolling noise while they were coming from the bridge.  
  
"Rupert's gonna have a go at my ass for this!" Relafen muttered as he and Phillona headed back to the airship's bridge.  
  
Phillona was about to reply when the head pilot interrupted, "Sir! We're about a Kilometer away from the finish line!"  
  
The silvery white Airship, Pegasus was still in the lead, followed closely by Relafen's airship. The baron was on Relafen's tail while the other airship seemed to have given up hope and trudged along behind the Baron.  
  
The baron made up his mind to do anything to win the race. He fired up his boosters and headed straight at Relafen's airship. Relafen cursed the baron with a variety of words. He knew that if he were to get rammed by the Baron with a booster-powered velocity, both his airship and the baron's would go flying out of control.   
  
Relafen ran to the pilot's position and kicked the altitude lever so hard that it almost broke into two. Relafen's airship dropped like a bird hit by a bullet. The baron, powered by its boosters, headed straight towards a stony peak, missing Relafen's airship by miles. The baron's boosters went off but it was too late. The baron smashed into the peak and exploded into flames as Relafen swerved his airship back into course. However, Pegasus was nowhere in sight as Relafen's airship re-took control. The airship that had been following quietly had taken advantage of the baron-Relafen situation and had taken a small lead over Relafen's airship. Relafen gasped when his eyes fell on it heading towards the finish line.  
  
"Get the goddamn boosters ON FULL THROTTLE!" Relafen screamed to the crew, "FAST DAMMIT!"  
  
The boosters blasted into life and Relafen's airship zoomed past the other airship and headed straight to the finish line in Junon's airfield. It made a rough landing on the runway and screeched to a halt as the other airship settled down on another runway. Relafen's airship's engine died out slowly as it touched the finish line, bagging the second place. The first place of course, clearly went to the superior silver-white beauty, Pegasus.  
  
Phillona threw her hands around Relafen's neck, "WE CAME IN SECOND!"  
  
Relafen smirked and flicked a strand of Phillona's shiny brown hair to her side, "Who cares? You enjoyed the race...that's as good as a first place for me..."  
  
Phillona smiled back at him as he led her out of the airship into the cheering crowd of spectators.  
  
  
  
*************************  
  
Far away, near the outskirts of the Gondola village, a father and his child inspected a badly damaged cylindrical container lying near a cluster of bushes. They watched a small flickering screen at the bottom of the container near a keypad.  
  
While the father searched for any signs of where the container might have come from, the child toyed with the keypad. Suddenly, to his amazement, the steel exterior of the container slid open and revealed through shattered glass, a body floating in liquid nitrogen. The father walked over to the body and his eyes widened with amazement.  
  
The child let out a scared cry and clung to his father's hand. The man turned to his frightened son and ordered him to go back to the Gondola village. The boy did as he was told.   
  
The man took his axe and smashed the half-shattered glass encasing the container to bits. He scooped down and dragged the body out from the liquid nitrogen that filled the container. The man with the axe was muscular and he flung the body over his shoulder with absolute ease and made his way back to the village, hoping the village doctor would not be busy.  
  
  
  
As he walked back to the village in the late afternoon sun, little did he know that on his shoulder, he was carrying the one the world once feared as 'Sephiroth....."  
  
*************************  
  
---------------------------------------------___________________________________  
  
Note from the author: hiya guys...I made this chapter long jus for the heck of it...well, I hope you liked the Orion part and the airship race... Anyway...  
  
the next chapter should be up in no time...so till then, keep reviewing..   
  
Sephiroth_Eternal...signing off... 


	36. CHAPTER 36

Chapter 36  
  
Sifan Leonhart, after having spent the entire afternoon sleeping, proceeded down the stairs of his inn after locking his room door. Just as he neared the exit, a familiar voice sounded from behind.  
  
"Where is she?" it said when Sifan turned around and saw it was Marlene that he had heard.   
  
"I dunno..." Trex replied, not noticing Sifan, "Are you SURE Phillona is in Aquadia in the first place?"  
  
"Yeah...She DID send me a telegram that she was in Aquadia, y know..." Marlene said, while Sifan wondered whether he should leave them alone.  
  
"Hmm...the guy at the reception is an idiot..." Trex replied watching the receptionist, "He says he cant tell me whether a Phillona Strife is here or not.... geez...these inns and their policies oughta be-"   
  
"HEY LOOK!" Marlene quipped jumping up and down, "It's Sifan!"  
  
Sifan sighed and waved to them as Trex and Marlene hurried over to him.  
  
"Hey man!" Trex punched Sifan playfully, "Wassa big idea not even sayin' a hello?"  
  
Sifan shrugged as Marlene giggled.  
  
[Geez...these two remind me so much of Zell and Selphie...]  
  
"So where's Phillona?" Marlene said.  
  
"Yeah..." Trex added before Sifan could reply, "We've been waitin' the whole frickin' afternoon..."  
  
Sifan sighed, "She's er...gone out with Relafen..."  
  
Trex and Marlene stared at each other with open mouths.  
  
"Er..." Trex scratched his head, "Say that again..."  
  
"I said..." Sifan replied calmly, "She went out with Relafen...call it a date if you want..."  
  
"Aargh!" Marlene cried, "Don't call it that..."  
  
"She'll be back soon..." Sifan said while Marlene and Trex were thinking something.  
  
"What are your plans...?" Marlene asked Sifan.  
  
"I am going to Lichita hills tomorrow..." Sifan said, "to meet Avatar..."  
  
"Hey yeah..." Trex replied, "We got some work there too..."  
  
Marlene smiled, "Hey wow...and Phillona said she wanted to find a house there..."  
  
"So we're all going to Lichita hills tomorrow?" Trex asked to which Sifan nodded.  
  
"Yup!" Marlene answered, "It's cool the way things work out, huh?"   
  
Sifan nodded unenthusiastically.  
  
[... 'Don't worry about where to go or what to do...things will work themselves out...' I hate it when Lyris predicts something...mostly because it ends up true...]  
  
"Hey, Seefo my man..." Trex babbled, "There's an arcade behind this place...wanna try yer gaming skills...?"  
  
"Fine..."  
  
"Hey guys..." Marlene said, "while you're at the arcade, I am gonna go get my hair done..."  
  
After going their own ways, Sifan and Trex arrived at the arcade. It wasn't even half as big as the one Sifan had seen at the golden saucer but still, there were many machines including interesting ones like Airship racer Xtreme and also silly ones like Ninja Chocobo. The arcade was filled mostly by boys in their early teens and a few like Sifan and Trex. A lot of them never seemed to run out of quarters and kept playing without taking their eyes off the screen for even a second.  
  
  
  
Trex hurried off to get quarters as Sifan waited with his arms folded.  
  
[It's evening already...where the hell is Phillona...?]   
  
Sifan felt strange when Lyris didn't start speaking. But almost immediately, he felt relieved he could think without Lyris hearing it. But then again, he wasn't really sure whether Lyris was listening. He didn't care...just as long as she didn't talk back. His thoughts went out to Relafen.  
  
[Relafen's an idiot...so goddamn head over heels in love with Phillona. Can't believe that under his rough exterior, he's actually a mushy chocolate-flavored moron. I wonder if Seifer was like that too...]  
  
"Hey man!" Trex said arriving with a bag full of quarters, "Aintcha feeling sick at the thought of Phillona with Relafen?"  
  
"Why should I?"  
  
"I mean..." Trex said as they walked across a few arcade machines, "You and Phillona...Er..."  
  
"What?" Sifan said lowering his eyebrows.  
  
"Er...well..." Trex said, "I was kinda watching the last minutes of your dance in golden saucer...er...sorry..."  
  
Sifan sighed.  
  
"So...um..." Trex mumbled, "I've been with Phillona for like five times in a row to the golden saucer ball for the information interchange thingy..."  
  
"...................."  
  
They stopped at a vacant arcade machine labeled, 'SHADOW WARRIOR' as Trex slumped his hand into his bag of quarters, "So as I was sayin'..."  
  
[Geez...this guy can be Zell if he had blonde hair and a tattoo that made your face look like half of it had been blowtorched...]  
  
"Well..." Trex continued inserting a quarter into the machine, "So Phillona...she usually dances with me for like a couple of minutes...and she maintains a distance like maybe a kilometer..."  
  
As the video game screen changed frames, Trex carried on, "and well...the other day when YOU danced with her...."  
  
"....................."  
  
Trex scratched his head smiling sheepishly, "She was er...holding you as if she liked you...I mean really REELY liked you ...you know LIKE in the SENSE like REEELY REELY..."  
  
Sifan raised his eyebrows, "You have a point...?"  
  
"I MEAN..." Trex continued to babble, "Even when she DID dance so close to you...you didn't mind...I mean you liked it right? LIKE YOU REEELY REELY liked-"   
  
"Trex..." Sifan said calmly, turning his attention to the game, "What are you trying to say...?"  
  
"Well..." Trex said dejectedly, "I was just thinking you and Phillona might have...er... fallen in love back at the dance..."  
  
"........................"  
  
"Well, did you...?" Trex said, a very curious look in his eyes.  
  
[She had me feeling all funny...but...]  
  
"No..." Sifan said calmly, "I don't fall in love that easily..."  
  
[I am not Squall Leonhart...]  
  
Trex shrugged and turned to the videogame to start playing.  
  
"Oh well..." Trex said, "Doesn't matter...as long as she's happy with Relafen.... though me and Marl mighta preffered you instead of that sleaze ball ...you make such a great pair with Phillona..."  
  
Trex referring to Relafen made him Squirm a little bit.  
  
[Ugh...I wonder what she'll be telling Relafen now... "You've got expressive eyes, Rel..." or "I like you, Rel..." or "Hold my hand, Rel..."]  
  
Sifan smiled to himself.  
  
[Nah...Rel ain't Seef...]   
  
**********************  
  
"The sunset's beautiful, aint it Phillona?" Relafen said as he pulled a chair for Phillona to sit in the Junon seaside restaurant.  
  
"Yeah..." she said, the orange sunlight glittering in her mako blue eyes.  
  
After they took their seats, a waiter arrived with a couple of menus. He was about to hand it over to them when Relafen stopped him, "We'll let you know when we need the menu...Jus bring the champagne please..."  
  
The waiter bowed and left. The Restaurant was the most expensive one Phillona had ever seen. Its floor and the walls were covered with red canvas and a lot of small-sized chandeliers gave a brilliant gleaming red look to the place. The walls had large windows overlooking the orange sun slowly sinking into the sea. A small band at a corner played soft dreamy music.  
  
The waiter arrived with the champagne and poured it into Phillona and Relafen's glasses. He bowed again and left.  
  
Relafen raised his glass to Phillona's, "Here's to us...together forever..."  
  
A nearby waiter giggled at Relafen's line. He promptly walked away when Relafen shot him a drop-dead glare.  
  
Relafen smiled and repeated, ".... together forever..."  
  
But his smile slowly disappeared. Phillona hadn't responded. She was just staring at the tablecloth.  
  
Relafen lifted Phillona's face by her chin and gazed at her eyes, "What's the matter...?"  
  
She shook her head, "Relafen...I c-can't-"  
  
Relafen took his hand away from her face and thought for a few seconds, ".... so.... that thing again...don't want a relationship with m-me.... right?"  
  
She didn't reply as Relafen swallowed hard with hurt. He grit his teeth hard and buried his head into his hands, "W-why...W-what did...I do wrong?"  
  
Phillona spoke slowly, "I like you Relafen.... I do...but...only as a friend..."  
  
Relafen's anger flared up and glared at Phillona coldly, "F-Friend. ...FRIEND? YOU THINK...Y-YOU THINK I WANTED TO BE JUST A FRIEND TO YOU...?"  
  
"Sorry..." she replied, "But that's the only feeling I have for you...a friend...nothing m-more..."  
  
Relafen raised his voice, "THEN WHY THE HELL DID YOU COME WITH ME to the airship race....???"  
  
"I didn't want to hurt you...by turning you down..." she replied in a slow voice.  
  
"Well what the hell do you think you're DOING NOW THEN?" he said, his voice getting angrier by the minute.  
  
"I am just telling you the way I feel...I don't want to pretend I-"  
  
Relafen raised his hand, "THAT'S ENOUGH..."  
  
Phillona felt like crying at the look on Relafen's face.  
  
He stood up and tossed a few gils on the table, "Pay for the champagne with this...and FIND YOUR OWN PATHETIC WAY HOME...."  
  
With that, he stormed out of the restaurant and departed to the Junon airfield where his airship had been stationed.  
  
After watching him leave, Phillona sunk her head into her hands. The waiter arrived and cleared the champagne glasses, ignoring Phillona. He knew the money had just walked out with Relafen. Phillona was just taking up space as far as he was concerned. Dejectedly, Phillona stood up and slowly made her way to the Submarine dock.  
  
As soon as she got there, a soldier came running to Phillona, "Miss...We're to drop you in Aquadia...Commander Relafen's orders..."  
  
Phillona sighed.  
  
(Relafen...)  
  
She nodded and followed the soldier to a green Shin-Ra submarine.  
  
Soon, she was on her way back to Aquadia.  
  
A lot of thoughts went through her mind. Half of them were telling her what she had done was completely wrong. Another half was telling her that she did the right thing by speaking her mind.  
  
(...He was asking me to be with him forever...to be his...I could've said 'yes' but it didn't feel right...I honestly felt like being a friend to him...and I just told him that but h-he...)  
  
She sighed and watched a hammerhead shark swim past her window. She realized it would probably be very late at night by the time she reached Aquadia.  
  
As the time passed, She remembered she had told Sifan she would come back by late afternoon. But now...the sun had almost disappeared. As time passed, the incident of Relafen slowly slipped away from her mind.  
  
(Seef.... I wonder what he's doing...)   
  
(Seef's probably enjoying life now in his own little world.... the world he doesn't share with anyone...the world where he stores his feelings...Just wish he'd let me see that world of his.)  
  
She started to recall her materia hunting experience with Sifan Leonhart. She had almost killed herself in the omega caves. She thought about Sifan's reaction. Initially, he went berserk over her crawling so slowly though the passageway, with the iron giant behind her. Then when she told him she had actually tried to kill herself, he went numb. So much so.... he actually allowed her to hold his hand.  
  
(Sifan Leonhart...holding hands...that IS rare...)   
  
(Suddenly, he would loosen his grip on my hand feeling a little uncomfortable...but then he'd see my watery eyes, he would grasp my hand tightly again...he just kept doing it over and over as if he was in a flurry of confusion over what to do with my hand....)  
  
(And then...before that...when I fell on his lap at the beach ...I was kinda expecting him to kick me into the ocean as some kind of a Sifan Leonhart reflex action.... but he didn't... and then we argued like little kids about silly stuff...in the process...I hit him with a coconut...heh heh...)  
  
She sighed again dreamily and stretched her hands as the submarine slowly inched its way to Aquadia.  
  
(I really didn't think Seef felt anything for me...b-but the way he blew away Gerard for insulting me ... that was when I started to feel Sifan could actually care...despite the cold ass image he puts up in front of everyone...But I shouldn't have asked him that.... I shouldn't have asked him whether he cared for me...Seef can't answer questions about the way he feels...)  
  
(Even if you displayed his feelings on a projection television, he'd probably be busy making shadow figures with his hands in front of the projector light...)  
  
(But he reacted so funnily when I asked him whether he cared for me ... as if I had thrust a knife into his stomach...but why the heck did I get so upset about him not replying properly...I guess I did want a 'Yes' from him...in fact, I-)  
  
Suddenly, it occurred to Phillona that she was actually daydreaming of her moments with Sifan Leonhart.  
  
(Damn! What am I doing...? What's wrong with me...?)  
  
She felt the answer slowly float into her mind. Phillona Strife felt like smiling and crying at the same time when she realized she was falling in love with Sifan Leonhart.  
  
**********************  
  
  
  
______________________--------------------------------------------------  
  
Note from the author: Ah well.... there you have it people! YOUR SIFONA!!!!! I felt evil breaking Relafen's heart though...=(  
  
Oh well...as long as my readers are happy, I don't mind...**whistles innocently while Relafen screams in the background**   
  
I DONT THINK this is a veery good chapter and i'm Not expecting much revs for this chapter but I think its gonna be necessary if I wanna reach the 200 rev mark by chapter 50.... so lets see... I have abt 14 chapters to go before chapter 50...if I get like 8 revs per chapter from now on (including this one)...I'll reach 200 by chp 50...please...guys!!! Fulfill the wish of this poor author...  
  
AND NOW!!!! ITS TIME TO CCCCCCCEEEEEEELEBRAAAAAATE 100 revs...heeEEEEEEEEEEE HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW  
  
I am handing out cigars to everyone who has made this possible.  
  
"Here, this is for you" **hands cigar to Aki Kitsune**  
  
"And one for you..." **tosses cigar to Kool Kaizer**  
  
"Of course, one for zee chick..." **flips out a cigar to moonlight chick**  
  
"And ah yes...but wait a sec kiddo! You're too young to smoke...ah what the heck." **gives a cigar to girlsdontcri**  
  
"And one of course for my recent reviewer" **searches for another cigar...finds it and gives it to firegirloverload**  
  
"yes..another one for you..." **throws cigar to manga lunatic**  
  
"...Er...lets see.... oh yeah...all those who want cigars should review more" **wipes face that gets smashed by tomatoes and eggs**  
  
"Ah what the heck..." **goes out and returns with a truckload full of cigars**  
  
"Enjoy! All those who've read so far..." **goes away to write chapter 37 after posting sign**  
  
Sign: remember to post at least 8 revs per chap including this one so I can reach 200 by chap 50 and I can reach 500 or 600 revs by chap 100 (don't worry...ill finish with chap 100)...more than 8 revs of course are always WELCOME!!! Also my friends are pushing me to write to Square abt this fic and make it a game or something, what do you guys think? (Yeah I know, silly dream, rite?)  
  
I know I am crazy to write such long author notes and to celebrate for just 100 revs but hey...Crazy is good...its helped me make this fic cool so far...anyway ppl...keep the faith and keep reviewing ...till next time adios.... 


	37. CHAPTER 37

Chapter 37  
  
Sifan Leonhart yawned, watching the digits on the small travel clock show 11:00 P.M.  
  
[Where the hell is she...?]  
  
He threw himself off his bed and almost immediately, his stomach began to make quaking noises. Sifan flinched. Trex and Marlene were both exhausted from the day's travel and they had immediately dozed off in their rooms after dinner. Sifan however hadn't joined them for dinner despite the fact that he hadn't eaten three times straight. He had spent the previous night inside a jail cell without dinner. He was too busy sleeping in the morning to eat. The afternoon, he had simply sat on his bed, reading magazines although the only one he had found interesting was the one about Orion. But as he stood there gazing at the clock, his stomach had given up waiting. It was rumbling louder than an active volcano, sending painful peristaltic vibrations all over his body.  
  
Sifan walked out of his room and was about to close the door when he saw Phillona come up the stairs, a mixed expression on her face. When she saw Sifan, she quickly turned to her door. She grew even more frustrated when the door refused to open. She was too caught up with something in her mind to notice she was turning the key in the wrong direction.   
  
Sifan walked up to her but the moment he came a few feet nearer, she let out a feverish scowl, "SIFAN! Stay AWAY!"  
  
[What's with HER?]  
  
"Something wrong?" Sifan asked as he watched Phillona trying to open the door, apparently too nervous to turn the key the right way.   
  
"Nothings wrong..." she muttered to him, without looking up from the door.  
  
"Let me help you with that..." Sifan said and walked over to her. She took a large step back when Sifan came near her. He gently turned the key and pushed open her door.  
  
She smiled nervously and rushed past Sifan. She stormed into her room, turned around immediately and almost banged the door shut on Sifan's face when Sifan interrupted, "Hey...you ok?"  
  
"I am fine..." she said watching the ground with restless eyes.  
  
"Well you don't look so-"  
  
"I SAID I AM FINE DAMMIT!" came the irate reply, "LEAVE ME ALONE!"  
  
"Are you su-"  
  
"I AM FINE FOR GOD'S SAKE!" Phillona snapped, "WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH ME?"  
  
"Er..." Sifan rubbed the back of his neck, "Well ...uh...I am going out to the restaurant across the street for dinner...and ...uh..."  
  
"NO I AM NOT COMING WITH YOU!" She reacted almost immediately.  
  
"Geez, relax..." Sifan said calmly, "I wasn't inviting you either-"   
  
"ARGH!" she screamed and slammed the door shut on his face. Sifan stared at her door for a while, scratching his head.   
  
[Sigh...Women...]  
  
Deciding he would tell Phillona about Trex and Marlene's arrival later, he walked away to the inn's exit, hoping he would find a restaurant that can make his growling stomach shut up.  
  
*************************  
  
The door in Professor Lorenz's office slid open and Relafen Almasy lethargically walked in. Lorenz eyed him through his glasses for a while and stood up. He did his best to stay composed but failed miserably.  
  
"You idiot..." Lorenz spat in Relafen's face, "Do you frickin' realize...what you did when you lost that container..."  
  
"Let's see..." Relafen hummed, "I cost you some lousy money you looted from the people anyway..."  
  
Lorenz snickered, more out of anger than out of pleasure, "You think your frickin' funny, dontcha commander?"  
  
Relafen didn't reply, he just grit his teeth. It was bad enough Phillona threw everything back in his face, and now Lorenz was mad at him for losing the container.  
  
Lorenz cleared his throat, "Where did it happen...?"  
  
"Somewhere over Gondola village..." Relafen replied.  
  
"At what altitude...?"  
  
"Not very high...I'd say about 100 feet above ground level..."  
  
"Well, good..." Lorenz replied, "I don't care how you do it but yer bringing it back...in a couple of days..."  
  
"What if I don't Lorenz...?" Relafen said calmly.  
  
"Then you can kiss your post goodbye..." Lorenz said turning his back to Relafen, "I am the only guy around here who knew you helped that Mideel Resistance leader get away in the golden saucer, pushed one of our own men into prison, and when you got the resistance twerps back to Mideel, you were actually one of the Reasons why Shin-RA couldn't take Mideel without blowing it up ...If I tell the president about this 'helping hand' of yours...you're as good as gone, commander..."  
  
Relafen's fist tightened. His anger shot up fueled by hurt...all the things he did for Phillona were now working against him. And how did it actually matter? It never did...She didn't even want to SPEAK of a relationship with him.  
  
"Have a cigar commander..." Lorenz said handing him a gold-ringed cigar.  
  
Relafen slapped it out of his head and marched out of the door.  
  
***************************  
  
Sifan Leonhart's stomach had calmed down after a few large bites of the burger. When a few people looked at him strangely, he shot a drop-dead look at them and carried on with his burger. However, he felt his appetite almost disappear when he saw Setzin appear at the doorway. Their last encounter at the omega caves wasn't very friendly, and Sifan only knew that too well. Setzin, as usual, with his one eye, surveyed the room and took a table at the far shadowy end of the restaurant.  
  
[Not very social, is he? ... Not that I have any right to talk anyway...]  
  
Setzin didn't see him and after a waiter hesitantly approached him, he ordered something and sat back, thinking of something. Sifan turned his attention back to his burger. He lifted it to his mouth and was about to take another bite, when he saw Phillona walk in through the door.  
  
[Setzin, and then Phillona, great...it just keeps on getting better...]  
  
She saw Sifan at his table though he did his best to hide behind his burger. Unfortunately, most of the burger was inside his stomach and hence, it wasn't that much of a hiding place. Phillona walked down to his table.   
  
She sat down, not looking all that happy.   
  
"DON'T ASK ME WHY I CAME!" She snapped.  
  
Sifan didn't bother trying to understand Phillona. He continued nibbling on his burger.  
  
"ARENT YOU GONNA ASK ME WHY I CAME!?" She babbled.  
  
Sifan nodded, "Hungry?"  
  
Phillona rubbed the back of her neck, "Uh...OF COURSE NOT...I CAME TO TELL YOU THAT YOU ARE SUCH A...SUCH AN.... IDIOT, SIFAN LEONHART! AND I REALLY HATE YOU!!!"  
  
Sifan snickered, "I still think you're hungry..."  
  
She sunk her head into her hands, "Damn you Sifan Leonhart...."  
  
Sifan whistled, "So what do you want...a drink maybe?"  
  
She nodded reluctantly.   
  
"So tell me..." Sifan said after making the order, "How was Relafen...?"  
  
"Uh...RELAFEN WAS CHARMING!" She shot up again, "I think I am in Love...er...with him...."  
  
"Really?" Sifan said as the waiter placed Phillona's drink on the table, "Wow...that means you two can date for a while, get to know each other, get married, have kids, and-"  
  
"SHUT UP!" She flared up again, "I AM GONNA KNOCK YOU OUT RIGHT HERE, SIFAN LEONHART!"  
  
[Man...she's all fired up today...]  
  
"I don't mind it but..." Sifan said wiping his mouth with a tissue, "...if you keep shouting like that, they're gonna chuck you out...its closing time anyway..."  
  
Phillona muttered something that sounded like curses and hexes aimed at Sifan.  
  
[Hmmm...something tells me her date didn't go out too well...]  
  
{It's called common sense, you idiot...}  
  
Sifan dug his pockets for some money and placed it on the bill the waiter had brought. He watched Phillona trying her best not to look up from her drink into Sifan's eyes. After a few minutes, eventually, Phillona finished her drink and shot up, "Goodnight, I'll be off now..."  
  
She stormed off to the exit and left the restaurant. As Sifan lazily strolled to the exit, he saw Setzin glare at him. Sifan wasn't very sleepy. He inched his way to Setzin's table.  
  
"Poachy..." Sifan hummed, "How ya doin...?"  
  
"Get lost kid..." Setzin muttered taking a draught of the wine on his table, "I am drunk...believe me, you don't wanna piss me off..."  
  
Sifan sighed.  
  
[Ah well...better leave him alone...]  
  
He shrugged to Setzin and sauntered to the exit. Outside, he saw a trembling Phillona hugging herself, "G-Geez...it's cold out here..."  
  
Sifan remembered reading in the magazine that Aquadia used large Slits on the dome to blast out cold air, which stimulated natural wind-movement almost perfectly. Mostly because a large number of people enjoyed cold winds.  
  
Sifan saw Phillona and smiled...  
  
[...I don't think SHE'S enjoying it though...]  
  
"I thought you were going back to the inn..." he said as he walked up to her.  
  
"DON'T ASK QUESTIONS, I LL DO WHAT I WANT..." She snapped as the two of them walked away to their inn.  
  
After a few minutes of only the cold wind howling and making them shiver, Phillona said something with a trembling voice, "IHY HATBE BYOU..."  
  
Sifan removed the coat he was wearing and wrapped it around Phillona's tender shoulders. She looked back at him but didn't say anything.  
  
"You were telling...?"   
  
"Uh..." Phillona mumbled rubbing her hands and pulling Sifan's coat around her for warmth, "Er...well...you really must feel I hate you or something huh...?"  
  
  
  
"Not really..." Sifan said as the wind whistled loudly.  
  
"Damn..." she muttered under her breath. She had failed. She had failed at her attempt to hate him and destroy any of the feelings inside her that told her she liked Sifan in a special way. Instead, it only made it feel even more obvious that Sifan was becoming someone special to her. But she didn't want to tell him any of it, at least not yet. She wanted to know Sifan deep inside...she wanted to travel the depths of his mind and see the place where he stored all this thoughts, feelings and emotions...  
  
But she knew that he had built a steel barrier near the bottom of his heart. Even if he DID FEEL anything from the bottom of his heart, he never showed it...only because the barrier prevented it from surfacing... Phillona wanted be break that barrier...she wanted to be that someone who can touch that deep, undisturbed part of him...  
  
Soon, Sifan and Phillona found themselves in front of Phillona's room. She opened the door properly this time, and turned around to Sifan.  
  
"Uh..." Sifan said, forgetting to tell Phillona about Trex and Marlene's arrival, "So we'll leave to Lichita hills in the morning?"  
  
"Yeah..." she replied.  
  
The both of them stayed silent for a while, staring at each other's eyes.  
  
Sifan looked away first, pretending he had seen a cat.   
  
"Seef...?" She said quietly.  
  
"Hmmm?"  
  
"I am not in love with Relafen...I was lying..."  
  
"You're not...?"  
  
Phillona shook her head.  
  
(I am in love with you...)  
  
  
  
**********************  
  
_-------------------------------------------------------------  
  
From the author: oh by the way () means Phillona's thoughts...[] is Sifan's and {} is Lyris talking...  
  
Sorry for the short chap.... don't worry I am not going to rant and rave like I usually do.... well.... cudnt make this the Lichita hills chapter as I have another attack of writers block (you guessed it)...so I can write only fluffy and funny stuff if I have writers block...WHICH I cant DO when I DON'T have writers block...so you can jus say I am taking...advantage of the...er...situation.  
  
So well...remember 8 revs...flame me if u want jus get 8 or more revs out there...I got 15 for the last chap (wow)...anyway....please do that...and next few chapters are gonna knock you out...believe me....  
  
And ah blue strife... **tosses cigar* "Enjoy..."  
  
And the Araken_Halen dude: Hey...I carried out my end of the deal...it's your turn....  
  
And Aki Kitsune: yeah we can be friends if you want ^_^  
  
Well jus one small favor: please give my fic a rating out of 10... please judge on 3 things. 1:characters, 2:Plot, 3:conversations...   
  
oh by the way: i got a pic of Phillona up...she looks a lot like Tifa...but heck..shes supposed to...  
  
Thank ya guys.... next chap coming up reely soon...cheers till then....  
  
Hey Whaddaya know,....I DID END up ranting and raving like I usually do... 


	38. CHAPTER 38

Chapter 38  
  
The loud rapping noise on his door found it's way to Sifan Leonhart's eardrum. He threw away his sheet and waddled his way out of bed. Rubbing his eyes lazily, he opened the door.   
  
Marlene stood large-eyed in front of him, "Hee haw! Seefoo in underwear!"  
  
[Yikes!]   
  
He slammed his door shut. He was indeed, in his underwear.  
  
After a quick shower and change of dress, he opened the door but strangely found no one there.  
  
[Hmm...maybe they're at the reception]  
  
Sifan took his Phoenix gunblade holder and let it hang by it side as he walked down the stairs. Like he expected, Marlene was having a conversation with the receptionist while Trex was watching them.  
  
All of a sudden, Sifan felt a couple of soft hands hug him from behind. He squeezed himself out of it and turned around.  
  
Phillona beamed at him, "G' morning Seef...wow...you let Marlene see you in your underwear but we were together for two whole-"  
  
"Cut it out..." Sifan snapped as Phillona giggled.  
  
"Oookay..." Marlene said running over to Sifan, "Lichita hills bound submarine leaves in 10 minutes!"  
  
Trex followed behind her, "Yeah man, better park our asses in that sub fast..."  
  
Sifan nodded, "I'll need to pay for my stay the inn...you guys go ahead, I'll catch up..."  
  
"I'll come with Seef..." Phillona said.  
  
Trex and Marlene looked at each other and grinned happily.   
  
[Hey, what the heck is that supposed to mean?]  
  
They then scurried out of the inn as Sifan paid the inn money at the reception. He went back to his room and made sure he didn't leave anything. Phillona did the same. Soon, both of them proceeded outside the inn and headed to the dock.  
  
"Aquadia was fun, huh?" Phillona said as they made their way across the street in the direction of the dock.  
  
"Yeah well...if you bar the Gerard incident, me sleeping in prison, the omega caves torture, you trying to kill yourself, running into poachy...." Sifan said putting up his fingers one by one.  
  
"Oh shut up..." Phillona said, her brown curtain-like hair blowing behind her, "Look at the bright side.... you saved my life from that iron giant, we got loads of money from materia hunting and.... I..."  
  
"You...what?" Sifan said, raising an eyebrow.  
  
She smiled at him, "Nothing..."  
  
*******************  
  
It was late afternoon when the submarine splashed out of the water in front of a snowy strip of land. Sifan waited as the sub's door slide open. A wooden ramp connected the place where the submarine was floating to the snowy ground ahead of them. The four of them followed in line and soon found themselves standing alone on the peninsular area of land, covered by white snow. Cool, chilly winds greeted them, as they walked away from the coast to a town visible at a distance.  
  
"That's Lichita town." Marlene said as the four of them waddled through the snow.  
  
"Yup...and right there..." Trex said, pointing to a small group of snow-covered hills behind the town, "Those hills are what they call Lichita hills..."  
  
Phillona nodded, "Usually, there aren't many tourists because of the monster population..."  
  
"Yeah..." Marlene said as Sifan walked on quietly, "Ever since a giant troll clubbed a skier to death, very few people come around..."  
  
"I've seen a giant Troll..." Trex said, "They're like huge stone giants ya know...carrying clubs larger than them..."  
  
Marlene giggled, "Yeah, something like that...."  
  
Sifan shivered as a cold gust of wind blew through his brown locks of hair, "Yeah well...I am outta here once I meet Avatar and decide where to go...."  
  
"Hey..." Marlene said, "Did you find a way to get back to your world?"  
  
"No..." Sifan replied, "I think I am gonna be around for quiet some time, I guess..."  
  
Sifan still didn't know why he had agreed with Lyris...why he had agreed he wouldn't try to return to his world.  
  
Trex, Marlene and Phillona were involved with some chitter-chatter as Sifan thought about the past few days of his life.  
  
[I can't believe what's happened... It's all like one big dream...]  
  
Initially, he had felt insecure and troubled about his new world but as time went on, he had forgotten about it. As time went on, it didn't seem too strange. He felt like he was just living in the moment, going with the tide, not knowing when it would all come to an end. A part of him had accepted his new world eventually but what he still couldn't swallow was the PURPOSE of it all. Sifan remembered the bitter nightmare he had about Sephiroth and Cloud. That dream WAS the purpose, that dream WAS the reason. In other words, he was BROUGHT here for one reason and one reason only, and that is to face...Sephiroth.   
  
Sifan swallowed hard and an uneasy feeling settled into him. It dawned on him that he may not even make it back to balamb alive. He recalled every minute of his dream, or rather, nightmare. When he thought of the way Sephiroth had sent the masamune through his stomach, it made him shudder harder than ever. Sephiroth's bloodstained blade, his satisfied and evil smile, and the utter glare of terror in his fiery green, glowing eyes. And as he curled his lip from these thoughts, he didn't realize Phillona had been watching him. Trex and Marlene were too busy arguing with each other about something.  
  
The cold, demoting and troubling thoughts of Sephiroth made Sifan feel very unpleasant when Phillona snapped him out of his thoughts.  
  
"Seef..." she interrupted, "something wrong...?"  
  
"Nah..." Sifan lied.   
  
"You can tell me...." she said as Trex and Marlene continued their war of words.  
  
"It's nothing..." he lied again. She saw through him easily. Sifan was a bad liar as far as Phillona was concerned.  
  
"Just tell me if you're feeling uncomfortable thoughts, ok?" she said, tilting her head.  
  
Sifan nodded half-heartedly.  
  
Just then, Trex swung out his double-barrel shotgun from the inside of his jacket, "Heads up guys! Giant condor!"  
  
The giant condor that had been circling around in the sky, decided to make a snack of the four teenagers. It was halfway down the air when Trex had spotted it. It's large wingspan cast a shadow on the four teenagers under it as it eyed Trex. It tried to swoop down on Trex but the black-haired boy jumped backwards, aimed his weapon and fired a deafening shot at the giant bird. A few feathers dropped to the ground as it screeched and landed with a thud a few feet in front of the party. It got on its feet and began surveying its opponents as to who would make a good meal.  
  
Trex loaded his shotgun with another bullet as Marlene readied her staff and Phillona tightened her gloves. Sifan stood lazily for a while before shrugging and whisking out this gunblade.  
  
The condor decided to have a go at Marlene. It rushed at her with a giant hop, beak positioned for a hard peck. She did a little backward hop of her own and gave a violent jab in between the eyes of the condor. The condor stood screeching with pain as Marlene turned to Sifan and signaled, "Sifan! Use my staff for a pedestal launch..."  
  
Sifan nodded as Phillona caste a haste spell on Sifan. The condor was too busy recovering from the painful jab it had received in between its eyes. Sifan rushed to Marlene, holding his gunblade by his side. The haste spell increased his swiftness as Marlene crouched to the ground holding out her staff for Sifan. Sifan leapt on to her staff and Marlene immediately launched him into the air with a hard grunt. She managed it despite the fact that she felt him a little heavy. The projectile was pretty high and Sifan managed to rise into the air above the condor's head. The condor recovered fully from pierce it had received from Marlene, only to find Sifan land his gunblade right between its eyes again. Sifan added to the hurt by triggering his gunblade. The condor screeched painfully as its neck lashed backwards like a rubber band. Trex planted the finishing touch. He aimed right between the condor's eyes and fired two powerful shots from his double-barreled menace. The nerve bundle in between the condor's eyes was damaged beyond resistance. Realizing its attempt for an afternoon snack had proved too expensive, the condor let out a painful holler and dropped to the ground, dead.  
  
Phillona and Marlene relaxed as Trex returned his gun to its holster inside his jacket. Sifan however, stood in front of the condor, eyeing the dead bird, gunblade still in hand. Sifan had destroyed the bird with Trex, Marlene and Phillona's help. A headache drilled through him when he realized that neither Phillona, Marlene nor Trex were going to be around when his gunblade meets the masamune.  
  
  
  
*************************  
  
Lichita town seemed like it had a very thin population. A few gray-walled cottages stood scattered around the snow-covered area that was constituted by the town. Among the cottages were Materia shops for traveling fighters, weapon sellers as well as Armor suppliers. The only thing that was dark against the white background of the snow was the smoke that was seeping out of the cottage chimneys. A few feet away from the line of shops were a few more small houses. At the end of the row of houses was a large cottage, which Sifan guessed to be the inn.  
  
The party made their way towards the inn before stopping before a couple of old-aged men. Trex struck an immediate conversation with them as if he knew them while Marlene looked on. Phillona stood near her but she turned to Sifan and smiled. He half-heartedly smiled back and started to dig his pockets for money to pay at the inn.   
  
The two old men hurried away to a cottage as Trex spun around to Sifan, "Seefo my man...put that money away..."  
  
Sifan looked up at Marlene, who was watching him with a smile on her face, "We're all gonna stay in Trex's grandpa's place, silly..."  
  
"Oh..." Sifan said and thought about it for a while, "Well...uh...I'll stay at the inn...I don't wanna trouble anybody..."  
  
Trex was stubborn, "Hey man! I don't care...there's room for four people there...so there aint gonna be any problem..."  
  
  
  
"Exactly..." Sifan said, "You have room for only four...Avatar's the fifth one..."  
  
"Oh shit..." Trex mumbled, "I forgot all about him..."  
  
Sifan shrugged, "It wont be too nice if I leave Avatar out and stay with you guys..."  
  
"Hey, we can make room for one mo-" Trex started when Sifan interrupted again, "It's ok Trex..."  
  
"Fine..." Trex sighed, "But you'll join us for dinner right...?"  
  
Sifan nodded.  
  
"Great!" Marlene said, "We'll see you then..."  
  
Marlene and Trex departed to Trex's grandpa's cottage at the far end of the small Lichita town.  
  
[They shoulda called this place Lichita village...not Lichita town...]  
  
Sifan saw Phillona stare at the snow-covered hills behind the cottages at the edge of Lichita town.  
  
"Well..." he said to the brown-haired girl, "Aren't you going...?"  
  
She smiled at him, "Can I know what you were thinking after we killed that condor...you were very silent..."  
  
"It's none of your business..." he replied, nailing every word like his father.  
  
"You're impossible..." she replied, "I'll see you at dinner.... Bye, handsome..."  
  
She ran away in the direction where Sifan had seen Trex and Marlene head. He slowly waddled his way to the inn, the ice under his boots making a crushing noise with every step. Soon he found himself at the dusty reception of the Lichita inn.  
  
The receptionist rolled his eyes and stared at Sifan, "you're name, kid?"  
  
"Sifan..."  
  
"Leonhart...?"  
  
"Yes..."  
  
The receptionist reached under his desk and pulled out a key, "Here...Mr. Avatar Fenis booked a room for you...he's out at the moment though..."  
  
Sifan took the key and made his way up the stairs through the dusty, old-carpeted corridor. He opened his room door and stumbled inside. A medium-sized bed lay in the middle of the room. A rusty fan rotated above him and the floor looked like it hadn't been cleaned for ages. A square-shaped window with a broken pane stood at an end. Sifan locked the door behind him and walked over to the window. He lifted the window glass and looked outside. Sifan saw the town's exit leading to a pathway that seemed to run uphill towards the snowy slopes of Lichita hills.   
  
Sifan walked back to his bed and plopped on it. He heard the broken springs under his bed tweak as he watched the rusty fan spin slowly, looking like it might fall on his face any minute.  
  
[Maybe I should've stayed at Trex's grandpa's house....]  
  
He shrugged away the thoughts and drifted off to sleep, hoping Avatar wouldn't pour any water on him to wake him up.  
  
  
  
************************  
  
The loud rattling on the door rudely awakened Sifan Leonhart. He lazily sat up and walked to the door and opened it. Avatar Fenis stood before him, his black hair tied into the same long ponytail. On his face was a very faint smile.  
  
His smile was so faint that it made Sifan's grin look like that of a laughing clown.  
  
"Hey..." was all Avatar mustered up.  
  
"Come in, you idiot..." Sifan said making way for his best friend to come in.  
  
"Nah..." Avatar replied nonchalantly, "I need sleep...I haven't slept in two days..."  
  
Sifan heaved, "So...you've been spending sleepless nights trying to find your past...? Really, Avatar..."  
  
Avatar nodded weakly.  
  
"You don't look so great..." Sifan mumbled watching Avatar.  
  
"I am fine..." he replied, "I'll see you later...I am going to sleep a bit..."  
  
Sifan nodded. Avatar Fenis managed another pale smile and moved away to his own room. Sifan shrugged and headed back to his bed as the evening sun went down behind the hills outside Lichita town.  
  
Avatar Fenis closed his room door and took his katana blade out of its sheath and glared at it. It did not glimmer in its silvery glow as it usually did. The reason was simple.... It was covered by human blood...   
  
************************ 


	39. CHAPTER 39

Chapter 39  
  
Sifan Leonhart put his coat on and locked his room door with its key. He walked down to Avatar's room and paused in front of it.  
  
[Maybe I oughta let him sleep some more...]  
  
Sifan took a look at the clock on the wall at the end of the hallway. It read 8 P.M.  
  
He shrugged and knocked on Avatar's door. There was no reply for a few minutes. Eventually, he heard a rustling noise and soon Avatar Fenis sleepily opened the door.  
  
Sifan smiled, "C'mon...you've slept for five hours straight..."  
  
Avatar nodded sleepily, "I'll meet you at the reception in five minutes..."  
  
Sifan nodded and left down the flight of stairs to the reception. He wanted to complain about the dire strait of his room but he decided not to be so whinny. Moreover, he actually felt good he was re-united with his friend.   
  
Sifan walked to the exit and took a look outside.  
  
It was nighttime and a few neon lamps stood on tall posts all across the small town, giving it a bright radiance. Most of the shops were still open and were actually attending to a few customers. Some of them looked like Shin-Ra soldiers. Sifan realized that there wasn't a single place that was devoid of Shin-Ra personnel.   
  
It was a starless night and the waning moon failed to shower its radiance through the dark clouds that loomed in the sky. Under a neon lamppost, Marlene was playing a game of rock-paper-scissors with a couple of children. Phillona and Trex were nowhere to be seen.  
  
[She's so much like Selphie...]  
  
Sifan stretched his hands when he saw Avatar Fenis walk up next to time. Avatar still had a unemotional look on his face. Sifan didn't know whether he was sleepy or whether he was in a strange state of mind.  
  
As the two of them walked out together, Sifan started a conversation, "Did you meet the Fenis Guardian?"  
  
Avatar nodded, "Yes but...he told me some bullcrap I just couldn't believe...."  
  
Sifan shrugged, "Oh yeah and what's the big idea calling me to Lichita hills...?"   
  
Avatar pulled out a newspaper cutting from his pocket and handed it to Sifan.  
  
Sifan walked under a lamppost and scanned the paper article with his eyes. There were a whole lot of details about scientific breakthroughs created by Shin-Ra scientists. However, Sifan's eyes fell on a part of the article that Avatar had emphasized with a highlighter.  
  
Not much is known about this device as yet but what we do know is that Shin-Ra is developing it in the snowy hills of Lichita. It is still in experimental stages but scientists say that it will be done in no time. Psychiatric hospitals across the world are looking forward to this device being released. Mainly because, one of the many features of this device is memory un-compression. Doctors say this device may come in very handy in the treatment of memory losses...  
  
Below the article was a small picture of the device. It looked like a large sphere. From the side of the sphere protruded a thick, tray-like structure on which a man was lying down. A scientist stood grinning near the sphere for the photo.  
  
Sifan looked up into his friend's black eyes, "You wanna hunt down this device in Lichita hills...?"  
  
Avatar nodded, "...I've found the place..."  
  
Sifan stared up at his friend, "You sure about this...? I mean...its not going to be easy breaking into wherever they are storing this stuff.... it belongs to Shin-Ra remember...?"  
  
"Either you're in or out, Sifan..." Avatar replied in a cold voice, "I don't mind going there alone...."  
  
The determined look in Avatar's face wasn't shaken a bit, "We're going tonight...10 P.M."  
  
Sifan sighed, "Fine...I'll come..."  
  
Just then Marlene walked up to the two SeeDs, "Hiya guys..."  
  
She looked at Avatar and smiled, "So...any luck on your past discovery...?"  
  
"No..." Avatar replied calmly.  
  
[What's wrong with him...? He's acting worse than me...]  
  
"Anyway..." Marlene quipped, "Well, dinner's ready in Trex's grandpa's place...let's go!"  
  
"You go on ahead, Sifan..." Avatar mumbled.  
  
"WHAT?" Marlene protested, "No way! You're coming too..."  
  
"I finished dinner..." Avatar lied and turned to Sifan, "I'll meet you around here half past nine..."  
  
Sifan eyed Avatar strangely, "I..."  
  
"Just go dammit..." Avatar muttered under his breath.  
  
"Fine..." Sifan said and turned to Marlene, "I'll be there in five minutes..."  
  
"See you later Avatar..." Marlene said and began to walk away from them.  
  
After Marlene was out of hearing range, Sifan turned to Avatar with a frustrated look, "What's HAPPENED to YOU?"  
  
Avatar didn't answer Sifan's question, "Enjoy dinner, pretty boy..."  
  
With that, he turned around and proceeded towards the bar.  
  
  
  
*************************  
  
It was much noisier than Sifan had expected. Trex was already stuffing his mouth with food. Marlene was seated near Trex, complaining about his bad eating habits. Sitting opposite them, Phillona just sighed and watched Trex and Marlene start another argument. A couple of other teenagers sat at the table, gossiping away endlessly.  
  
Trex saw Sifan and mumbled with his mouthful of food, "Hey, Fheefaan, wheref Afhatar?"  
  
"He's loafing about outside..." Marlene replied, "He's already finished dinner..."  
  
Trex swallowed his food and drank a glass of water, "Hey man...don't jus STAND there, take a seat..."  
  
Phillona pulled a chair near her and gestured Sifan to sit.  
  
He shrugged and took a seat near her, "Hi..."  
  
She smiled at him, "How's Avatar doing...?"  
  
"He'd doing grea-" Sifan started but strangely he didn't feel like lying to Phillona, "He's...just not himself..."  
  
She looked said at the worried look on his face, "He'll be fine.... He's just feeling insecure about his past..."  
  
Sifan looked at his plate in thought while Marlene and Trex chatted with the other two teenagers. Phillona cut a large chunk of turkey and put it on Sifan's plate.  
  
"Hey..." Sifan muttered, "I can't eat so much..."  
  
"Shut up..." Phillona muttered back, "I saw the way you stuffed that burger in the restaurant back at Aquadia..."  
  
"Er...I was hungry then..." Sifan smiled sheepishly, "heh heh...and you were acting like you were on drugs..."  
  
Phillona giggled, "Oh well..."  
  
As the dinner went on, Sifan came to know that the two other teenagers were Trex's cousins. They were very interested in his gunblade and Sifan eventually ended up telling them of Squall's Lionheart. By then, Trex had taken more than a few draughts of wine despite Marlene's objections. Soon, Phillona and Marlene had to carry the drunken teenager to his room. Trex's cousins had left early and Sifan stood alone. He sighed when he noticed the clock on the wall show 9:45.  
  
Though he felt it a little rude to leave without informing anyone, Sifan made his way out of the dining room and opened the door to the exit. The cold icy winds rushed through his ears as he heard someone arrive behind him.  
  
Phillona saw Sifan trying to sneak off and sighed, "Running off again...?"  
  
"Well, I told Avatar I'd meet him fifteen minutes back..." Sifan replied as she walked up to him.  
  
"Sifan..." Phillona said, "Avatar doesn't need to be your ONLY friend...you've got us too..."  
  
Sifan felt warm at these words but as usual, he brushed his feelings away. He nodded to Phillona, and walked out of the door towards the lamppost where Avatar Fenis was waiting for him.  
  
  
  
*********************  
  
"What took you so long...?" Avatar mumbled irately, "Playing Cuddly-Dudley with the Strife girl?"  
  
"Her name's Phillona, if you didn't know..." Sifan snapped back.  
  
Avatar grinned, "Gotcha! See, I told you you'd like her... "  
  
Sifan heaved a sigh of relief.  
  
[Now there's the real Avatar...]  
  
"So..." Sifan said as the two of them headed towards the town exit, "A little booze and you're back to normal..."  
  
Avatar snickered, "Hmm.... nothing like it..."  
  
Soon they arrived at the foot of the Lichita hills after pushing their way through a zigzagging snow-covered pathway. The hill, which Avatar said they had to climb up, didn't look all that menacing. It looked quite big but the slope angle was very less and the ground looked more or less even. The only problem was however, the icy gusts of wind that swept through the air almost every minute.  
  
"It's gonna be a long climb..." Avatar said pulling his jacket around him, "But its gonna be easy..."  
  
Sifan's teeth clattered as he hugged himself, "Let's hurry up with this thing..."  
  
"There's cave near the top of the hill..." Avatar said as the two of them started their climb, their feet sinking into the snow with almost every step.  
  
"Cave...?" Sifan said, puzzled.  
  
"Yes...inside the cave is actually a Shin-Ra lab for developing all sorts of equipment..."  
  
"Oh..." Sifan said, as another chilly wind whistled through his ears, "but they'll have soldiers on patrol, right?"  
  
"Yes...but not many..."  
  
"Why not...?"  
  
"Scientists work till almost midnight in that place..." Avatar said as they passed a few cone trees that were half-buried in the snow, "They don't like their concentration disturbed by these Shin-Ra soldiers walking around..."  
  
  
  
"Y-You have a plan...?" Sifan said, shuddering from the cold.  
  
"Yes..." Avatar replied, his eyes becoming firm, "It doesn't include you though..."  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
"I just wanted you to come along..." he said calmly.  
  
"You're gonna take on all those soldiers by yourself?" Sifan asked.  
  
"Yes..." came the reply.  
  
Any other person would have laughed at Avatar but Sifan didn't. Only because he knew Avatar's capabilities too well. But still, Sifan was worried, "Well, you sure about that?"  
  
"Yes...if you don't think I can take out those soldiers..." Avatar slid out his blood-covered katana and showed it to Sifan, "is this proof enough...?"  
  
Sifan's heart skipped a beat, "...Avatar...this isn't human...blood...is it?"  
  
His friend didn't reply. He just continued to walk uphill with Sifan strolling beside him.  
  
"Garden taught me just the creamy bit of Ninjitsu, Sifan..." Avatar replied, "The past two days however, the Fenis guardian gave me its darker side...stealth assassination..."  
  
Sifan swallowed hard. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. When Garden had first introduced the Ninjitsu branch, students weren't taught the deeper and the darker parts of Ninjitsu. All they learnt was how to use their katanas, shruikens and jumps.  
  
But Sifan had read about it. The REAL Ninjitsu. He had read about how it turned its learners into human killing machines. How it deprived them of a soul.   
  
REAL ninjas didn't feel. REAL ninjas were beyond emotions. REAL ninjas didn't have a heart.  
  
"Avatar..." Sifan asked quietly as they arrived near a cave, "D-Do you want to be...a...real ninja...?"  
  
Avatar turned around and gave him a weak smile, "I already am..."  
  
Sifan remembered Avatar telling him a few hours ago that he hadn't slept in a while. He didn't want to believe it but it was the only logical explanation he could come up with.  
  
[So...Avatar...spent the last two days...and nights with that Fenis guardian... ...becoming...a killer...?]  
  
"Avatar..." Sifan said slowly, "How many soldiers are you...y-you planning to kill...?"  
  
"Four or five..." Avatar replied.  
  
"Did you kill any while you were here...?"  
  
"Just a couple of them..."  
  
"............................."  
  
"I needed practice, Sifan..." Avatar said as they headed to the cave, "A Ninja's stealth kills need perfection...The Fenis guardia-"  
  
"To HELL WITH THE GUARDIAN DAMMIT!" Sifan fumed, "You're becoming a heartless murderer!"   
  
"You're too weak-minded..." Avatar said, sharpening his sword against a rock at the entrance of the cave. "If you want, you can go back.... I'll meet you at your room in the morning WITH an uncompressed memory..."  
  
"FINE!" Sifan snapped, spinning around from Avatar. He made his way back down the hill, not looking back at Avatar once. He couldn't swallow what was happening. He just couldn't.  
  
[In two days...in 48 hours... Avatar's become a mindless demon...]   
  
He just kept walking, ignoring the wind ranting and raving through his ears.  
  
After fifteen minutes of walking, Sifan was almost halfway down the hill. He stood, panting with his hands on his knees. Just then, a snowmobile came whirring through the snow. A middle-aged man was riding it and he stopped near Sifan and lifted his goggles, "Say chap? What are you doing out here at this time of the night..?"  
  
"I..." Sifan muttered, "...I am lost..."  
  
"Well..." the man said, "Wheredja wanna go? I can give ya a lift..."  
  
Sifan's legs were aching and he nodded his head, "I..."  
  
Sifan thought about Avatar for a while and decided to go back. After all, he was still his best friend...a REAL Ninja or not.   
  
"To the cave near the top..." Sifan replied.  
  
The man gave a snort laugh, "Climb on..."  
  
Sifan climbed on the snowmobile and the man accelerated the vehicle uphill with a loud engine noise.  
  
[What is THIS guy doing here...?]  
  
"Well..." the man said as if to answer Sifan's thought, "I need ta replace the broken lights on top o the hill, see? So these damn airships don't crash..."  
  
The man went on and on about his job as the cave drew nearer. Fortunately for Sifan, the loud wind helped him to ignore the man's ramblings about his work. Soon he was near the cave where he had left Avatar. Unfortunately, Avatar was nowhere around.  
  
Sifan got down from the snowmobile, "Thanks..."  
  
"Sure... no problems kid..." the man replied and raced his snowmobile upwards, away from Sifan.  
  
Sifan walked into the cave, slowly and cautiously. There were small bulbs that hung from the top off a single line of circuitry. Sifan walked across the cave slowly, while keeping an eye out for guards. Though the place was dim-lit, Sifan was able to see quite clearly. He quietly walked on and arrived near a large steel door.   
  
What he saw at the door sent a chill freezing down Sifan's spine.  
  
Lying with his head against the cave wall was a Shin-Ra soldier, bleeding from the neck. Sifan crouched near him and examined the body. There was a slit in his neck from where blood was oozing out. The slit was thin but deep enough to kill. It was a trademark of the katana Avatar wielded.  
  
Opposite the dead soldier was another one, sprawled on the ground in a pool of blood. Sifan turned him over. He looked away quickly. Avatar had gored the second one through his heart.  
  
Sifan heaved silently and stood up. He unsheathed his gunblade and made his way to the door. The keypad had already been slashed badly and the door was already wide open.  
  
Sifan inched his way into the lab. The entire place was enveloped in a dark blue radiance. Moonlight poured into the lab from holes on the cave walls. Sifan looked around and his eyes fell on a corner where a dim light was glowing. He wasn't sure whether Avatar was there but he decided to take a look at the lighted corner. As he moved along, he saw that the lab was filled with all sorts of equipments arranged in irregular rows and columns. So much so that it resembled a library of machines and devices. None of them looked familiar to Sifan as he could only see shadows and outlines of them. After tiptoeing with his hand on the wall in the direction of the light, Sifan paused to hear if there were any other sounds. There was not even the slightest sign of anything that looked like Avatar either.  
  
[Avatar must be hiding somewhere...]  
  
Suddenly, he stumbled on something. Sifan looked at the ground and swallowed. Another soldier was lying dead. His shoulders were faced to the right but his neck was twisted to the left. Sifan shuddered. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.   
  
He cautiously proceeded forward but froze when he heard footsteps approaching.  
  
He looked left and right for a place to hide but there were nothing except for the metal shelf placed against the wall on his left and a large turbine on his right. He had come too far along the wall to turn back and run without being spotted. Sifan flattened himself against the wall beside the shelf, hoping the containers in the shelf would cover him completely. Sifan imagined himself looking from the soldier's point of vision. The only way the soldier would spot him, was if he took a look beside the shelf.  
  
"Why the hell is this place so quiet today...?" the soldier mumbled as the sound of his footsteps drew nearer.  
  
Sweat dripping down his face, Sifan jerked his head sideways and saw the outline of the soldier approaching in his direction. Running would only make noise and Sifan knew he couldn't take the slightest risk. The guard switched on a light behind him and his shadow fell in front of Sifan's feet.  
  
Sifan restlessly glared at the soldier's shadow approached nearer and nearer.   
  
Suddenly the light that the soldier had switched on went off with a bang. Sifan sighed with relief.  
  
"Damn..." the soldier muttered, "cheap bulbs can't take a little high current..."  
  
  
  
Almost immediately, from the guard's direction, Sifan heard a sword being unsheathed very fast, followed at once by flesh being penetrated with force and then, a stifled cry.  
  
After that, silence re-haunted the air.  
  
Sifan took a step outside his hiding place and saw the soldier's body lying on the ground, motionless.   
  
Avatar Fenis had killed yet another soldier.  
  
  
  
************************  
  
----------------------------- -------------------------------------------------  
  
From the author: in the reviews ur gonna post now...please let me know who's ur fav. Character and why he/she is your favourite Character....  
  
Believe me...Its gonna be necessary to make this fic better...   
  
Well besides that nothing else...oh yeah and the next chapter will be interesting... 


	40. CHAPTER 40

Chapter 40  
  
Avatar's last victim lay dead with a ruptured lung as Sifan tiptoed past the corpse. After moving cautiously, gunblade still in hand, Sifan arrived at the corner where the light was on. A small bulb hung from the top over a scientist who was scribbling something on a notepad while throwing a glance at his computer from time to time.   
  
Sifan felt someone move behind him. He spun around quickly and looked in to the dry eyes of Avatar Fenis.  
  
Avatar walked up to him. He didn't say anything and he just watched the scientist work quietly. Sifan didn't want to say anything to Avatar either. Avatar had made it clear and simple. He had told him that if he didn't want to see Avatar kill, he could go back. But Sifan had returned...and he knew it was pointless to question Avatar.  
  
Avatar casually walked up to the scientist and seized him form behind and pulled him out of his chair. Avatar swiped out his bloody katana placed it on the scientist's neck, "Good evening..."  
  
Sifan heaved and walked up to Avatar who was waiting for the scientist to respond.  
  
"I don't have all day...so...lets cut the crap..." Avatar whispered into the scientist's ears, "Where's the memory un-suppressing device?"  
  
The scientist looked around nervously for a trace of his soldiers when Avatar put more pressure on his neck, "Don't bother...your soldiers are all in hell..."  
  
The scientist spoke in a quivering, soft voice, "Y-You w-want to steal...t-the device?"  
  
"No..." Avatar replied, "Just use it...and you're going to help us..."  
  
He released the scientist from his grip and prodded him forward past Sifan, "Don't try anything stupid...I don't want to turn the white coat you're wearing to red..."  
  
Sifan quietly followed his friend who was walking behind the scientist. After a few turns, they arrived at the heart of the Shin-Ra laboratory. It was a small opening surrounded on four sides by file cabinets.   
  
In the middle was the large, black, steel sphere Sifan had seen in the newspaper Avatar had shown him. Sifan noticed that the sphere's surface was covered by small, curved, sliding plates. The sphere was surrounded on three sides by computers.  
  
The scientist nervously started up one of the computers near the sphere, now and then throwing a nervous glare at Avatar.   
  
With a strange whirr, the sphere began to spin till it stopped after a few seconds. With a click, one of the plates on the sphere slid open and a thick, platinum-coated tray ejected from the sphere towards Sifan. It was large enough to accommodate a man and the whole thing reminded Sifan of the large CAT scanners he had seen in Esthar hospitals.   
  
"It works using...e-electro magnetism..." the scientist stuttered and turned to Avatar, "Take anything metallic from your body and lie down on the tray..."  
  
Avatar let his sword holder clatter to the ground. Strangely, even the sight of the katana made Sifan uneasy. After throwing down his belt, Avatar turned to Sifan, "make sure he doesn't try anything stupid..."  
  
Sifan nodded as Avatar lied down on the tray. The scientist pushed a few more buttons and the tray slid back into the sphere with Avatar in it. Sifan bit his lip as the metal plate closed shut.  
  
"Don't worry...It has oxygen supply inside..." the scientist said as the sphere began to turn slowly, with Avatar inside.  
  
Sifan walked over to the computer and glared at the screen.  
  
Analyzing subject's memory pattern...  
  
Suppressed division of memory located...Analyzing percentage of suppressed memory...  
  
Done. 40 % of subject's memory is under repression...  
  
Begin Un-suppression?  
  
The scientist turned back and looked at Sifan, "Do you want a complete un-suppression?"  
  
Sifan shrugged, "I guess so..."  
  
The scientist shook his head, "What I mean is...if I completely uncompress his memory...he'll even remember how it felt to break his first tooth. Do you want that...? He'll have a sharper memory than a normal person...its not recommended..."  
  
Sifan thought for a while. If Sifan allowed partial suppression of Avatar's memory, Avatar would only end up blaming Sifan for anything he can't remember. Besides Sifan knew Avatar would be happy only if he could remember everything about his past.  
  
Sifan sighed, "Are there gonna be any side effects?"  
  
"No... Just a crystal clear memory..." the scientist replied, "You see...he'll remember EVERYTHING in a matter of few minutes...its gonna be hard on him ..."  
  
"Don't worry...Avatar can take it..." Sifan replied calmly.   
  
"Ok..." The scientist nodded and swiveled around to the computer and typed in a few things on his keyboard.  
  
The sphere began to hum loudly as the computer began the count down...  
  
Percentage count of SUPRESSED MEMORY...40%...39%...38%...  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
"Marlene?" Phillona said watching the moon trying to shed its light through the dark clouds, "How's mike...?"  
  
Marlene didn't reply. She just stared at the moon along with Phillona. The two girls were seated on the roof of their cottage in Lichita hills. Despite Trex's drunken protests, the girls had locked him up inside his room and had taken to the roof for some quiet time.   
  
"Mike...and I aren't seeing each other...." Marlene replied, "I told him I felt he's cheating on me...he said he was insulted and pushed me away..."  
  
Phillona sighed, "Love hurts, huh?"  
  
Marlene nodded, "Well...its ok for me...but...the Gerard thing..."  
  
Phillona giggled, "It's ok...I am over it..."  
  
"What?" Marlene said, turning to her friend with a surprised look, "I don't get it...you WERE SO in love with Gerard...for 2 years...and you got over him in 2 days...?"  
  
Phillona snickered, "Yeah...funny, huh?"  
  
"You know..." Marlene said, "Gerard oughta be smashed with Sifan's gunblade or something for what he did...."  
  
Phillona eyed her friend with surprise, "You KNOW?"  
  
"Know what..?" Marlene asked Phillona.  
  
"You know, about Seef and Gerar-" Phillona stopped when she realized Marlene was just using Sifan's gunblade as a mere reference.   
  
"Sifan and Gerard?" Marlene caught on immediately.  
  
"Er...Nothing..." Phillona said quickly.  
  
"Too late!" Marlene quipped, "What happened? Tell me now or I WILL never SPEAK to you again!"  
  
Phillona sighed. She knew that if Marlene latched on to anything, she would never let go until she was satisfied. Throwing her hair behind her back, Phillona told Marlene about the incident that led to Sifan's fight with Gerard. Eventually, Phillona went on to explain almost all the moments she had spent with Sifan.   
  
She was about to tell Marlene about how Sifan had eaten his burger, "...and Seef, he-"   
  
Phillona stopped. Marlene was looking at her with an amused look on her face.  
  
"Wow..." Marlene said, with a low whistle.  
  
"What?"  
  
Marlene giggled, "...Seef this and Seef that.... You look so happy talking about him..."  
  
Phillona sighed, "Don't get any ideas..."  
  
(Oh my god...did I just use his line...?)  
  
Marlene thought for a while and giggled again, "Now I know...."  
  
"You know what?" Phillona said, growing restless.  
  
"Hee hee..." She snickered and suddenly bolted across the roof to the window leading back into the cottage.  
  
Phillona chased her with clenched teeth as Marlene ran into Trex's room, "Hey Trex!!!! Phillona's in love with Sifan!!!!"  
  
************************  
  
3%... 2%... 1%... un-suppression completed...  
  
Finalizing memory pattern...Starting Diagnosis...  
  
Diagnosis complete...status: Normal...  
  
Ejecting subject in 10 seconds... 9... 8...  
  
Sifan waited with him arms folded, eyes glued on the rotating black sphere that was coming to a halt slowly. Soon, the tray slid open with Avatar Fenis lying on it, unconscious.  
  
"He'll come around in a few seconds..." The scientist said, getting up from his chair.  
  
Sifan walked over to his friend's body. He waited anxiously, and slowly Avatar started to show signs of consciousness. His face was sweaty and he started to breath heavily as if he had been traumatized.  
  
"NO!" Avatar suddenly shot up, "NO...!"  
  
"Avatar...?" Sifan said placing a hand on Avatar's shoulder.  
  
Avatar sat panting wildly, looking at the floor. His eyes were pools of shock and his face looked like he had seen a ghost. As Avatar sat wheezing and sweating, Sifan turned around to the scientist but noticed that he had disappeared while Sifan was attending to his friend.  
  
"Avatar?" Sifan repeated, "You ok...?"  
  
Avatar nodded slowly and jumped to the ground. He started to breathe normally as he put on his belt and fastened his sword holder to his side.  
  
Sifan wanted to ask Avatar immediately about what he had remembered but he decided against it. He wanted to give Avatar time to relax.  
  
[Whatever he remembered...I don't think he liked it...]  
  
Sifan sealed away his curiosity and decided he would ask Avatar about his past once they got back to their inn. Avatar and Sifan walked away silently to the exit of the lab. The scientist was nowhere to be seen. Sifan assumed that he was hiding somewhere, most probably, under a desk that seemed to move as Sifan and Avatar crossed it.   
  
Soon, after long minutes of silence between the two friends, Sifan and Avatar arrived outside the cave. The wind seemed to have stopped its howling and the moon was still covered by the clouds.  
  
"You ok?" Sifan asked, looking at his friend swallow hard. Sifan was worried. Very worried.   
  
[This is not good...]  
  
He was interrupted by the sound of an engine. Sifan and Avatar looked up at the same time. A large, steel snow truck churned the snow and headed in their direction. It stopped in front of them and from it alighted General Keiara with a couple of Shin-Ra soldiers.   
  
"What do you want...?" Sifan asked calmly as General Keiara looked at him and Avatar.  
  
General Keiara smiled, "You think you can get away after breaking into Shin-Ra property...?"  
  
[Damn...]  
  
"Our night vision cameras caught the entire thing on tape, sweetheart..." Keiara said, the blue cloak she wore fluttering, "You and your cruel Ninja friend looked extremely good..."  
  
One of the soldiers moved in with a pair of handcuffs towards Avatar only to be cracked across the jaw by a kick from Avatar. The soldier fell down on the ground as Avatar took a few steps towards the fallen soldier. Out came the sword and down it went into the soldier's heart. Sifan felt sick as he watched the snow under the soldier turn red.  
  
[This has gone far enough...]  
  
"Avatar!" Sifan snapped, walking up to his friend, "There was no need to kill him, dammit!"  
  
Avatar didn't reply. His eyes were glued to Keiara's.  
  
Avatar heaved heavily and slowly turned around to Sifan.  
  
"Run..." he said slowly.  
  
"What?" Sifan asked, puzzled.  
  
"I said...run...away..." Avatar's icy cold voice repeated.  
  
Sifan glared at this friend's eyes for a few seconds. They showed no signs of any emotions. They stared at each other silently.  
  
Sifan interrupted, "Look...Avatar, I know-"  
  
Avatar's fist shot out and pinned Sifan's neck against the door of the Snow truck. Sifan choked as Avatar tightened his iron grip around Sifan's neck. His eyes widened with shock as Avatar raised his sword and held it in a stabbing position over Sifan's chest.  
  
"I told you...to run... away..."   
  
Sifan's neck was clenched too hard for him to talk. He just held Avatar's hands, his eyes still not believing what was happening. Avatar's lips trembled as he stood staring at Sifan with hatred. The katana drew closer to his chest.  
  
Keiara grew impatient, "Isn't this what you wanted...? What are you waiting for?"  
  
Avatar shuddered, "NO! I can't..."  
  
He buried a knee with force into Sifan's stomach and Sifan fell to the ground, groping his stomach.  
  
"For God's sake AVATAR!" Keiara screamed, "Squall Leonhart killed our mother! You remember don't you? Her blood covered body? She was begging us to leave through those portals...?"  
  
Avatar stood wheezing over Sifan's sprawled form.  
  
"I came here.... to THIS WORLD..." Keiara continued, "While you WENT TO Squall's world..."  
  
Avatar still stood trembling over Sifan.  
  
[How...does she...k-know about Avatar's life...in balamb?]   
  
There was only one logical explanation to his question.  
  
[Avatar must've have told her everything when I was in Aquadia...]  
  
"Squall brainwashed you Avatar..." Keiara said, "He suppressed your memory...the coward was afraid you might attack him if you discovered HE KILLED YOUR MOTHER!"  
  
Avatar nodded, "I remember... after I had my memory suppressed...I broke out of Dr. Odine's lab...I ran...along the bridge outside Esthar...all the way to Fisherman's Horizon..."  
  
Sifan tried to get up but the soldier brought down his gun on Sifan's neck, making him go down on his knees again.  
  
"And then...a gang of thieves found me lying on the bridge connecting FH and Esthar..." Avatar continued, "I made a living by working for them after that...till one day, Squall found me again in FH..."  
  
"And then began your life as HIS adopted son..." Keiara said, anger in her voice, "The coward SENT you to GARDEN with Sifan...so you would NEVER KNOW that HE was the one who ORPHANED YOU!"  
  
"Damn you, Keiara w-what d-do you know...?" Sifan stuttered and turned to Avatar, "Avatar...Dad c-cared f-for y-you..."  
  
The soldier hammered another hard shot on Sifan's neck, making him fall to the ground on his chest.  
  
"Cared...?" Avatar said, turning Sifan on his back with his foot, "He just wanted to make sure I never found the truth about my past..."  
  
"Don't be s-stupid..." Sifan muttered but Avatar slammed his foot on Sifan's chest, anger burning in his eyes.  
  
"I remember everything Sifan...." Avatar cried, a tear running down his cheek "All those cut marks on my mother's face...her body was RAVAGED by Squall's LIONHEART!!"  
  
Avatar had seen Squall performing the lionheart one too many times. The fact that Squall had used the same move to kill his mother pushed Avatar beyond his emotional limit.  
  
He raised his katana over Sifan, a tear running down his face, "You were a friend, Sifan...BUT only in the life Squall MADE ME TO live as a LIE!"   
  
Without second thoughts, he brought the katana down and it sank into Sifan's right shoulder. He let out a painful cry as Avatar pulled the sword out of Sifan's flesh swiftly. Blood dripped down Sifan's SeeD coat and formed red droplets on the snow beside him.   
  
With trembling jaws, Sifan looked up at Avatar. Tears were streaming down Avatar's face as he turned away from Sifan and boarded the snow truck. The pain in his arm shot to agonizing heights as Sifan grit his teeth.  
  
Keiara followed her brother into the snow truck. After covering the other dead soldier's body with snow, the soldier hurried away to the driver's seat. The truck roared into life and proceeded downhill and disappeared out of sight.   
  
Sifan Leonhart lay on the ground, his torso covered with blood as a mist slowly started to settle down on the snowy hills of Lichita.  
  
*********************  
  
--------------------------- ---------------------------------  
  
From the author:   
  
Well, don't forget to post your reviews...that's the only things that will make me add twists like this one...he he...  
  
Oh by the way, thanks to Duncan hay for the 'Phillona on drugs' line.   
  
And well, that's abt it...  
  
And Avatar fans...there you HAVE IT! His past!!! More of it to come in the next few chapters...  
  
Wow...man...I feel like the master of the twists...hee hee...(I am not boasting, so Bejita...don't jump on me...and thanks for the constructive criticism...I ll try to improve...)  
  
Till next time, cheers! 


	41. CHAPTER 41

Chapter 41  
  
A thin trail of blood droplets could be seen on the snow behind him as Sifan staggered downhill, clutching his bleeding shoulder and gritting his teeth. He regretted not stocking any curative items or spells when he felt the pain in his shoulder flare up. He looked around for traces of potions people sometimes dropped but the mist made that almost impossible. It covered everything around him and he felt like he was going nowhere. The wind also picked up momentum and cried harshly in his ears. The cold made Sifan's body tremble. He had lost a lot of blood. He took a look behind him and noticed his blood had dropped all along the way. He looked at the hand with which he was clutching his shoulder; it looked as if it had been immersed in a pool of blood. He was finding it harder and harder to reserve energy, as the temperature around him seemed to be dropping by the minute. He looked up with his pain-filled eyes to see how far he had come. The mist was too thick to see through and all Sifan heard was the howling wind. He had walked all he could but now, his strength was all used up. Once again, the pain in his shoulder began to agonize his mind. His knees lost their strength and Sifan sank to the ground. As he fell on his knees, he felt his shoulder go numb. His head began to spin and immediately, he fell chest-down on the ground and blacked out.   
  
A few feet behind him, from between a couple of trees, a snow dragon marched out for its midnight snack. It slowly made its way to Sifan's motionless figure lying on the ground. It looked at him for a while and decided to finish his meal then and there. It raised his claws to sever Sifan's back when a Firaga blazed through the air and exploded in its face, scalding its icy hide. The snow dragon took a step back and waited for its opponent to come out of hiding.   
  
With his colossal sword on his shoulder, Setzin walked out to deal with the four-legged snow nuisance.  
  
  
  
************************  
  
Phillona hadn't felt like sleeping for some strange reason. Maybe it was because she had dozed off for a long time in the afternoon. Or maybe it was because she hadn't eaten much that night. She was too busy taking care of the reserved Sifan Leonhart at the dinner table to eat properly. She sighed when her stomach made a flip. She decided to go out for a quite walk. She took one of Trex's jackets and wrapped herself in it. She tied her loose hair into a ponytail with tendril-like strands of hair running down along her ears. She slowly closed the door of her room and headed down the stairs towards the kitchen to grab a bite. As she made her way across the living room, the sound of a truck filled the air. She walked to the window and looked outside. The truck stopped in front of the inn and General Keiara walked out of it. Phillona sighed; she was about to turn back when she saw Avatar walked out behind General Keiara.  
  
Phillona quickly threw a look to the grandfather clock at the corner of the room. Both its hands stood at 2.  
  
Phillona decided to see what was going on. She opened the bolts on the door and exited the cottage hastily. Once she was outside, she quickly strolled to the inn, avoiding the lustful glares from a few drunken soldiers sitting at the bar. She paused at the reception and contemplated as to whether she should turn back. But she was too curious. She thought of going to Sifan's room but pushed away the idea.  
  
(He's a sleepyhead...) she thought, (He's probably counting lone wolves jumping over fences...)  
  
But the entire 'Avatar with Keiara' scene urged a sense of discomfort into her. She glanced around for a few minutes when Avatar Fenis arrived down the stairs. His eyes were bloodshot and the blank look on his face didn't do too much to assure Phillona that things were all right. Avatar walked down to the reception and paid for his stay. Strangely, Phillona had become a complete stranger to him.  
  
"Hey..." she said, waving to Avatar, "Do I look FAMILIAR?"  
  
Avatar moved his head sideways and looked at her. He nodded sternly and collected the change from the receptionist, "Sorry..."  
  
"It's ok..." She said, "Oh by the way, where's Seef...?"  
  
"He..." Avatar started, "He's sleeping..."  
  
"You're leaving somewhere without him...?" She asked, in a surprised tone.  
  
Avatar grew impatient, "Well, he said he was too tired. He's joining me tomorrow..."  
  
"OK..." Phillona said walking beside Avatar as he exited the inn, "Where are you going?"  
  
Avatar grew impatient AND irritated, "To Midgar...look, I am late.... go sleep or something..."  
  
(This isn't Avatar Fenis...)  
  
She recalled Avatar's usual flirtatious antics and his cool, easy-going mood, whatever the situation. Strangely, what she was seeing now was a converse of that personality.   
  
"Let's go Avatar..." Keiara said joining him outside, ignoring Phillona.  
  
Phillona stopped in her tracks. (Something's not right here...)  
  
Avatar held the door open for Keiara and climbed in next to her. Soon the door slid shut and truck sped away outside Lichita town. Phillona suddenly felt someone grab her wrist. She turned around and saw a drunk Shin-Ra soldier holding her wrist, a wide smile on his face.   
  
She pulled her wrist away with force and started back to her cottage when the soldier grabbed her again and cackled, "C'mon girly! Make me happy for sometime...I got a room at the inn!"  
  
He didn't see Phillona's kick coming. It connected with his cheek and he fell on his knees, muttering curses. Soon, a companion of his came running to him. He looked up at Phillona and from the redness in his eyes, she made out that he was drunk too.  
  
(Isn't there an end to these drunken bastards...?)  
  
"Yer gonna pay fer that missy..." the other soldier said and advanced towards Phillona. She was about to send him skidding across the floor with another kick when she heard a click of a gun being loaded behind her.  
  
She smiled as Trex aimed his shotgun over her shoulder at the soldier's face, "Don't make me waste bullets on your ugly face, jackass..."  
  
The soldier darted back. He muttered something under his breath and lifted his fallen compatriot. Together they made their way back to more sober times at the bar.   
  
She turned to Trex, who replaced his gun into his holster, "Sweetheart, next time you decide to take my jacket and go for a walk, take the damn gun holster with you!"  
  
She smiled at him, "Those guys were as drunk as you were a few hours ago..."  
  
Trex shrugged, "Anyway, tell me.... Was it just me or did General Keiara and Avatar leave together in that truck...?"  
  
"No, you're right..." Phillona sighed, "Somethi-"  
  
Just then, a young man came running to them, "Excuse me, we have an emergency...someone's brought a hurt person down from the hills...a few of those drunken soldiers don't seem to wanna let them past the gate..."  
  
"Hey, don't say anything more man..." Trex said immediately, "Go to the item shop owner's house and ask him to open the damn place. Tell him to keep anything curative ready, will ya?"  
  
The young man nodded and disappeared towards one of the cottages while Trex and Phillona rushed to the gate.   
  
Five Shin-Ra soldiers were lying on the ground, motionless. Setzin held his gigantic weapon in his hand while the unconscious body of Sifan Leonhart hung on his shoulder. A couple of other soldiers stood in front of Setzin in a drunken stance. One of them tried to attack him but Trex shot the soldier in the shin, causing him to fall down. While Trex re-loaded his gun, Phillona ran to the other soldier. The soldier grinned at the brown-haired beauty running towards him, "Heh Heh...what's a girl like you-"  
  
Phillona's running uppercut didn't give the soldier anytime to finish what he was saying. He fell down on the ground with a thud, groping his back. Setzin rushed past them without a word. Phillona saw the crumpled figure that Setzin was carrying. She gasped as Trex gave out a surprised yelp.  
  
"Whoa...SIFAN?" Trex cried as Setzin carried Sifan towards the item shop, followed by a very worried Phillona.  
  
"W-What happened?" Phillona cried as they saw the item shop's owner open his shop's shutter.  
  
"Lets save the kid's life first..." Setzin mumbled as he carried Sifan into the item shop. The owner hurriedly opened the cupboards and fished out curative items as Setzin set Sifan down on the table. There was no end to the blood seeping out of Sifan's shoulder. Although Setzin had torn out a part of his cloak and wrapped it around Sifan's shoulder, the blood still continued to flow.  
  
Phillona let out a worried gasp when she saw Sifan's bleeding and hurriedly ran back to her room for the cure materia.   
  
Trex nervously pranced about as Setzin opened Sifan's mouth and allowed a hi-potion to flow into his mouth little by little. Trex scratched his head and watched on nervously, but Sifan showed no signs of consciousness. Setzin's face was hard to read but Trex could see that there was actually a trace of care on it. He placed a bunch of clothes under Sifan's head while the potion took time to move down Sifan's circulatory system.  
  
Phillona almost tripped over and fell as she barged into the door. While the others stepped back, she charged her aura and cast a cure spell on Sifan. The bleeding stopped almost immediately. Phillona unwrapped the temporary cloth Setzin had used. She cleaned the blood with some cotton and put on some real bandage she had brought from the cottage. She then stepped back and cast another cure spell on him. She waited for a few minutes but there were no signs of perception.  
  
She rummaged the item shop's boxes hurriedly and found a Phoenix down. She threw the bundle of Phoenix feathers on Sifan, hoping desperately it would help. A strange light started to appear around him but it's radiance weakened after a few seconds and then disappeared completely.  
  
She waited anxiously for a few minutes and finally, when no signs of Vitality appeared in his face, a tear began to roll down her face.  
  
  
  
*************************  
  
"Cervantus, it's not his TIME!"   
  
"Why Aeris? WHY DO YOU BEG FOR THIS MORTAL'S LIFE?"  
  
"Because I BELIEVE in him! DESTINY believes in him!"  
  
"..........................."  
  
"Cervantus! Hear me out, Please...!"  
  
"HYNE wants him dead...he doesn't have faith in him..."  
  
"What does Hyne say?"  
  
"He says Sifan Leonhart cannot slay the one winged angel."  
  
"Hyne is a fool! Hyne wanted Squall Leonhart dead when Edea sent that icicle through him...!"  
  
"............................"   
  
  
  
"Since when have you listened to what HYNE says, Cervantus?"  
  
"Hyne is older than all of us..."  
  
"Yes but in his case...Wisdom and Age didn't go hand in hand..."  
  
"............................"  
  
"You didn't listen to Hyne in the case of Squall..."   
  
"Squall was different, Aeris...we all believed in Squall, bar Hyne...I had no doubt in him when I bestowed him with the Lionheart...but his son?"   
  
"Cervantus, I am not asking you to bestow Sifan with the Lionheart...I am just asking you to change the time of his death...you CAN if you want to..."  
  
"Aeris...I am sorry..."  
  
"CERVANTUS!"   
  
  
  
Trex put a comforting hand on Phillona's shoulder while Setzin walked out of the room. Sifan Leonhart was gone...  
  
**********************  
  
-------------------- -------------------------- ---------------------  
  
Note from the Author: sorry for short chapter...Um...well...I am thinking maybe I oughta change Phillona into the protagonist now that Sifan is dead...  
  
Anyway guys...review...  
  
Till next time, cheers! 


	42. CHAPTER 42

Chapter 42  
  
"Ah...Cervantus... What brings you to my humble realm?"   
  
"It concerns Sifan Leonhart, Hyne..."  
  
"Aeris has talked to you about it, hasn't she?"  
  
"....................."  
  
"You have to understand something Cervantus... Aeris was once human.... She cannot understand things that we, the higher Gods, can..."  
  
"It's not a matter of understanding, Hyne...It's a matter of faith..."  
  
"You're a fool, Cervantus... You've changed a lot ever since you fell in love with Aeris..."  
  
"....................."  
  
"Isn't that a shame, Cervantus? A higher God like you, to be overcome by an human emotion like love...?"  
  
"....................."  
  
"And to fall in love with a lower Goddess like Aeris..."  
  
"Just because she was once human...doesn't mean she's a lower Goddess, Hyne..."  
  
"I still see Aeris more of a human than a Goddess, Cervantus... Perhaps that's what you adore about her?"  
  
"......................."  
  
"So tell me... What about the young Leonhart...?"  
  
"The God of Death wants him..."  
  
"And you...of course, Cervantus... have to choose the time you grant his wish...."  
  
"Yes...however, Aeris believes he is the one that shall slay the one winged Angel..."  
  
"The one winged angel is a higher God like you and me, Cervantus..."  
  
"I know..."  
  
"Like I've said before, Cervantus... you're foolish to EVEN THINK a human can slay him..."  
  
"Cloud annihilated him, Hyne... don't you remember...?"  
  
"True... but Cervantus, don't you see...? by comparing Cloud and Sifan... you're comparing a mountain and a grain of sand..."  
  
"I am aware, Hyne...but still... Aeris believes there is hope in him..."  
  
"You're letting your love for Aeris affect your insight, Cervantus..."  
  
"Perhaps so... but he IS Squall Leonhart's son..."  
  
"You bestowed the Lionheart on Squall, didn't you...?"  
  
"Yes...."  
  
"Even AFTER I told you to hand him over to Death when he was killed in that sorceress assassination attempt..."  
  
"Yes..."  
  
"I believe you TRUSTED him enough to spare his life AND at the same time, bestow the Lionheart on him..."  
  
"True, Hyne...what are you trying to tell me...?"  
  
"Do you have the SAME trust in the Lion's son, Cervantus?"  
  
"......................"  
  
"I am afraid you don't..."  
  
"You're right...I don't have faith OR trust in him... but Aeris does..."  
  
"You're going to take a decision based on her emotions, Cervantus?"  
  
"Yes..."  
  
"Do you realize the risk you're taking, Cervantus? You are interrupting the flow of things..."  
  
"........................"  
  
"When a human dies, his soul immediately flows to the realm of the God of Death.... That is the way of things..."  
  
"........................"  
  
"You have the right to change the time it all happens, Cervantus...BUT...don't you have foresight? If your decision to let Sifan live proves fruitless... you will infuriate all the higher Gods..."  
  
"Yes... and I am aware of the penalty the higher Gods will impose, should I fail... "  
  
"Yes... that fool, Yu Yevon misrepresented a God to try and rule Spira forever...he enraged the higher Gods and the price he had to pay was DEATH..."  
  
"........................"  
  
"Imagine that, Cervantus... a GOD falling to DEATH? A question mark on your IMMORTALITY?"  
  
"........................"  
  
"You will risk all just to make Aeris happy, Cervantus?"  
  
"...Yes..."  
  
"If Sifan Leonhart does not slay the one winged angel... Cervantus, you will DIE! If the God of time dies, Time compression shall begin in ALL DIMENSIONS! Think of the gamble, Cervantus...!"  
  
"........................"  
  
"Is Aeris worth ALL THAT?"  
  
"Yes...."  
  
"You're a fool... a big fool..."  
  
"Everything you say maybe sensible Hyne, but I have faith in Aeris and if she believes in the young Leonhart, I choose to stand by her..."  
  
"I have no more words of guidance for you Cervantus, you're beyond salvation... Fine...so be it... Let Sifan Leonhart live if that is your wish but I have counseled you...."  
  
"Thank you, Hyne for your advice, Hyne but I am afraid I'll have to go against it... but thank you, nevertheless..."  
  
"Don't thank me Cervantus, because it won't be long before the one winged Angel obliterates Aeris' little child...and it shall not be long before you are thrown out of existence either... "  
  
"We'll see about that, Hyne..."  
  
  
  
"Farewell, Cervantus...I have no time to spare for imprudent Gods like you..."  
  
*********************   
  
Sifan gradually opened his eyes. He stared at the wooden ceiling for some time before turning his head a little and looking to his side. Near the table on which he was lying, Phillona was asleep on a chair, her head resting on Sifan's uninjured shoulder. Sifan saw the tears still clinging to her eyelashes as the chirps of early birds sounded outside. Across the room, Trex was fast asleep on another chair with his mouth wide open.  
  
Deciding not to disturb Phillona, he lifted himself slowly, carefully slipping his shoulder from under Phillona's cheek. He placed her head down slowly on the headrest he had been using and walked to the door. As he walked out into the cold morning air, Sifan felt his injured shoulder with his arm. It was still as numb as it was when he had woken up. He pulled down the collar of his gray T-shirt to see how bad the damage was. A dry, thick scar was the only thing that was present. He hugged himself as he walked across the snow-topped huts in the direction of the inn.  
  
His wound didn't hurt anymore... but inside his mind, a pandemonium of painful and raging emotions began to rise...   
  
[Avatar...]  
  
The images of the previous night flashed across him mind. He recalled the way Avatar had stared at him with eyes of rage and hatred.  
  
Sifan's jaws hardened, and his eyes became rigid pools of angst. His mind quivered from the recollection of the incident, sending a shiver down his entire body.  
  
[No... Even if he WAS Ultimecia's son, we still grew up together... Eight years, we shared everything... we shared the same parents... Squall Leonhart was the father of BOTH Sifan Leonhart and Avatar Fenis... The whole WORLD knew Avatar as a Leonhart...Not as someone adopted by the Leonhart family...]  
  
The highlights of his life with Avatar took a dive into Sifan Leonhart's mind as he absent-mindedly crossed the inn towards the town's exit.   
  
~*~*~*~  
  
In the early childhood days of Sifan and Avatar, Squall and Rinoa always took them to the flower fields at least once a month.   
  
However, neither Sifan nor Avatar considered watching the exquisiteness of the flowers. They spent their time in worm-digging competitions and beetle killing contests. Sifan usually won but Avatar always took advantage of the fact that Sifan was bad at math.  
  
So he told Sifan, 'Remember, er...that I told you five worms equals one dead beetle, buddy? See, I have 10 worms and 2 dead beetles here and you have just 7 dead beetles and 2 worms here... so you lost, too bad...'  
  
Sifan thus always ended up losing the flower field competitions.  
  
And then came the trips to Obel Lake...  
  
Sifan loved fish when he was a small boy and Avatar knew this only too well. One day, he managed to fool Sifan into believing that the small tadpoles in Obel Lake were actually fish. So, on one of their trips to the lake, they hid small teacups into their bags.  
  
While Rinoa and Squall were spending time with each other, the two of them had sneaked away to the lake. There, they spent the whole afternoon catching tadpoles by running their teacups along the water. Sifan asked Avatar why the 'fishes' were so easy to catch to which he replied that they were 'lazy' like Sifan.  
  
Their expedition remained unknown to Squall and his wife till that evening when Avatar cooked the Tadpoles using the oven. He served them to a famished Sifan. He had gobbled them all up avariciously.  
  
A year later, an encyclopedia enlightened his knowledge that the 'fish' he had eaten actually were the small ones of those big ugly frogs Sifan loathed. The same encyclopedia served as a weapon for Sifan that very day. Avatar's head had a nasty little bump that evening.  
  
Before that of course, was the Angelo-riding competition.  
  
Avatar had found a saddle from somewhere and Sifan was curious as to what people did with saddles. At once, Avatar demonstrated by placing the saddle on a wooden toy horse and riding it as if it were a bucking bronco.  
  
Sifan wanted to try but Avatar said Sifan was too much of a wuss for horses. Avatar said in order to qualify for horses, Sifan needed to ride dogs first. Unfortunately, Angelo had given birth to puppies and neither did Avatar nor Sifan know how vicious newly mothered dogs could be. Mr. Fearless, as Sifan called himself, took the saddle and placed it on the usually calm Angelo. Angelo didn't suspect anything but the moment it felt someone climbing on it's back, he had turned around and almost bit Sifan's hand off.   
  
Fortunately, Sifan's reflexes saved him and he bolted out of the room. For the next six months, Sifan stayed away from anything that looked like a dog.  
  
They eventually grew up, and soon they were cadets at balamb garden. That's where Avatar made Irvine Kinneas his mentor, trying to hit a home run on every girl he met. Sifan after having eaten tadpoles, having undergone the Angelo experience didn't trust Avatar enough to do all the things he did with girls.   
  
Of course, the girls in Garden usually flirted with Avatar almost as much as he flirted with them. Sifan of course, stayed clear from any of it. But Avatar never gave up, he always had some girl or another come up and talk to Sifan. The girls didn't hesitate either. Squall Leonhart's son... of course, was 'WORTH DYING FOR' as far as they were concerned.   
  
The garden festivals were something Sifan LOATHED. Mainly because Avatar always forced him into a position he couldn't escape. Sifan never saw the fun in being surrounded by hyperactive females with a taste for interior decoration.  
  
One by one, the flashbacks of him and Avatar haunted him...  
  
Memories, moments, reminiscences, recollections...  
  
He felt like exploding...  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Reality suddenly dawned on Sifan Leonhart when a loud wind raced through his ear. He sighed when he saw where he had arrived. He had walked all the way outside the town's exit and almost halfway up the snowy hill. He heaved loudly and spun around. What he saw didn't make matters any better. In front of him, towering over 100 feet tall stood a giant troll with a humungous club in his hand.  
  
The club came heaving through the air directly at his head. Sifan rolled backwards as the club smashed into the snow in front of him, sending chunks of small ice grains flying into the air. He panted heavily and whisked out his gunblade. His shoulder was still irrationally painless. He took another step back as the troll advanced towards him with huge steps. He almost fell back when his foot stumbled on something. He checked to see what he had stumbled against. It was a body. The body of the soldier Avatar had taken to the grave the previous night. The same night where he was backstabbed by the only person he had trusted, loved and cared for.  
  
[How did I suddenly become...someone so meaningless to him...?]  
  
Once again, flashes of the incident rummaged his confused mind. Clearly, his mind was NOT in the battle. The Troll's hand swung across the air and connected with right side of Sifan's body, sending him sprawling to the left. He shook his head and watched the Troll raise his club. Once again he rolled and avoided the Troll's club but this time, the troll's club missed him only by inches.  
  
"A bit too early for a walk around here, ain't it?" came a voice from beside him.  
  
Setzin stood a few feet to his side, the monstrosity of a sword on his shoulder as usual. He glared at Sifan with his one eye as the troll surveyed the newcomer.  
  
Sifan didn't reply. He just held his gunblade, the thoughts of Avatar still lingering in his mind. He shook his head and watched the Troll raise his club yet again. It almost seemed as if the Troll was trying to get some sadistic pleasure from flattening its opponents with his club.   
  
But this time, the troll went for Setzin. Setzin quickly stepped to the side, as the club crashed beside him. He immediately countered with a 'blind' spell. With a loud grunt, the troll groped his eyes. Still clenching his eyes, the troll charged forward, swinging his club left and right like a mad maniac.   
  
Sifan and Setzin arced around the giant monster while his club swished about the air over their heads. Soon enough, the troll was aimlessly swinging his club around, oblivious to the fact that its opponents were behind him.  
  
"Summon, kid..." Setzin said, planting his sword into the snow and lighting a cigar.  
  
Bahamut appeared and swooped down through the cold air. He was about to do one of his loud landings when he noticed that his opponent was pointlessly waving his club about the air, evidently under a blind spell. The Dragon king quietly landed on the ground behind the Troll and charged his body with extreme energy.  
  
Finally, the blind spell wore off from the Troll. On hearing a loud roar, the troll immediately spun around, grateful he could see again. But the gratefulness quickly disappeared when he saw Bahamut releasing his mega flare.  
  
After watching the Troll getting baked alive, Sifan and Setzin quietly made their way back towards the town.  
  
"Setzin..." Sifan mumbled suddenly.  
  
"Yeah?" Setzin said turning to Sifan, "What is it, kid?"  
  
"Fight me..." Sifan said, swiping out his gunblade, "I need a fight... badly..."  
  
"You wouldn't stand a chance, kid..." Setzin muttered, crushing his cigar under his foot, "forget it..."  
  
"Afraid of losing...?" Sifan said, glaring at the man who had saved his life for the second time.  
  
Setzin laughed, "And I am supposed to be provoked by that, kid?"  
  
Sifan looked at the ground, "I just want to get something out of my mind... a fight could do wonders..."  
  
Setzin looked away, "I don't have the time to sit around and serve as your emotional outlet, kid..."  
  
Sifan lifted his gunblade to Setzin, "Coward..."  
  
"Very well..." Setzin said, and readied himself for the battle, "Just don't piss me off by losing..."  
  
  
  
************************  
  
Relafen Almasy walked across the small huts populating the Gondola village. He whipped out a small photo of the container his airship had dropped during the race. He walked around the village showing the photo to everyone in his way and asking them whether they recognized it. After an hour of exasperating searching, he finally turned to the village exit to leave.  
  
But before he took a step, he felt someone place a hand on him, "Looking for something?"  
  
He turned around to face the person who had touched him. Relafen Almasy fell down with surprise.  
  
"I-It can't be!" Relafen whined.  
  
"What can't be...?" the stranger replied.  
  
"I've read all about you in S-Shin-Ra's database..." Relafen cried, "Y-You...a-are..."  
  
"...Sephiroth..." the silver-haired man completed, a gentle smile on his face.  
  
  
  
*************************  
  
------------------------------ -----------------------------  
  
Note from the author: nothing to say.... Please review...  
  
**Sighs watching the computer** "That's the third FF fan site that's turned my fic down...." 


	43. CHAPTER 43

Chapter 43  
  
The pools of concentration that subsisted in Sifan Leonhart's eyes were directed straight at his opponent. He waited with his hands wrapped decisively around the handle of his gunblade. Setzin played the eye contact game as well as his opponent, if not better. Not once did his glare stray away from Sifan. As they circled around, they reviewed each and every motion and flow their bodies made. Setzin of course, had the upper hand when it came to attentiveness. Simply because he had a steadfast mind. Sifan on the other hand was half-attentive. Plainly because his mind kept going back to the Avatar confrontation like an infinite emotional loop.   
  
The young Leonhart decided to divert his attention to making the first move. He took a step back, heaved and rushed into Setzin. The one-eyed warrior gave a mock laugh and shoved his unrealistically large weapon in front of him for a block. The reverberation of the gunblade meeting the giant sword almost deafened the brown-haired boy. He retreated and quickly began to think of another way to affront his opponent.  
  
Setzin was determined to put his inexperienced adversary to a full test of his abilities, "Well, kid... I am coming at ya... get ready to block..."  
  
Sifan sighed at Setzin's warning and waited for all hell to break loose. Unfortunately for him, it did. Setzin was in front of him in a flash, with his sword heading directly for his chest. Somehow, Sifan managed to squeeze his gunblade in between his opponent's blade and his body. Another clang of metal smashing metal echoed through the air. Setzin gasped as if he was afraid and took a fake step backward. Sifan's eyes however read the authenticity of his opponent's fake stride. He did a little forward fake step of his own and Setzin fell for it. He tried to punch his opponent who was SUPPOSED to come forward. Unfortunately for the poacher, his punch missed his challenger by miles and went over his shoulder. And to his annoyance, he realized that it was Sifan who had scored with the artificial step and not him.   
  
Sifan knew only a fool would miss the opportunity to counter a misdirected punch. Before his contender could rewind the arm he had thrown for the fruitless punch, Sifan swung his gunblade upward at this opponent's torso. The phoenix gunblade tore through Setzin's defense and its tip connected with Setzin's chin and it proceeded to slice his cigar vertically into two. Setzin clenched his chin and stumbled backwards as the cigar pieces fell to the ground.  
  
The one-eyed warrior eyed his adversary with a glint of paramount astonishment, "Not bad, kid... your blade actually touched me..."  
  
Sifan shrugged and quickly returned to his fighting stance. Setzin hurried towards him and swung his monstrosity of a weapon towards Sifan. Sifan's mind immediately offered the suggestion of blocking with his gunblade. But he knew the rewind from the block wouldn't buy him a chance to counter attack. Swiftly, he bent low as the giant sword went over his head by inches. Confident that there was another counter attack from him to grab, Sifan proceeded to break through Setzin's defense. He knew he had to pull off an attack before Setzin could bring back his sword from his failed attack. However, Sifan's confidence and judgment of the situation betrayed him this time. When he tried closing in for another sword attack, Setzin's right knee made full contact with Sifan's jaw. The impact of the kick sent Sifan stumbling backwards and before he knew anything else, his opponent's sword grazed his ribs, drawing blood at once.  
  
"Damn..." Sifan sunk backwards, clenching his ribs.  
  
"Be happy I didn't make complete contact with that sword shot, kid...." Setzin muttered, "Else your ribs would've been all over the ground now..."  
  
Setzin paused when he saw Sifan laugh, "What's so funny kid?"  
  
["Pain.... frustration... and fatigue... the three ingredients for the Renzokuken..."]  
  
The words were as clear as they were when his father had uttered them to him. Pain was something that was more than present. Even emotional hurt seemed to act as a fuel. Fatigue was more or less getting to both his mind and body. And when it came to frustration, Avatar's memory brought it about in a way he had never imagined.   
  
He took a step back and gave his arms every bit of energy he could congregate from his body. Soon, the young Leonhart rushed at his opponent to wreak the Renzokuken on him, and perhaps end the battle.  
  
The first swing ended up missing, the second one smashed into Setzin's sword and the third one missed again. But the Renzokuken was nowhere near a three-swing sword attack. At least, Sifan's version wasn't. The fourth one landed again on the blade with a slow speed, the fifth one did the same with a higher velocity and the sixth one smashed harder than Setzin had anticipated. It caused him to lose his grasp on his sword. Sifan's eyes caught this immediately, but his arms were too weary to pull off another swing. After all, he had managed to deploy over six attacks in a matter of few seconds. He ignored the inertia and proceeded to enforce more slashes.   
  
Setzin's underestimation and over-confidence proved costly. To make matters worse, his grip on the sword was too languid. In a flash, he became a naked target to the final part of Sifan's Renzokuken. The boy planted more gunblade shots than Setzin could've visualized. They foraged his body left and right, and before he knew it, Sifan's Renzokuken had already incised various places in his torso. Bloody lines were clearly seen on his clothes as he fell back on the ground, overwhelmed.  
  
Setzin slowly got up and managed to sit on the ground after a few seconds, his torso still stinging with the wounds. He inspected his abrasion while Sifan knelt down, panting wildly with gunblade still in hand. Setzin took out an elixir and quickly took a draught. Soon enough, the wounds in his skin closed and the blood disappeared along with the stinging pain. He took out another one and gave it to Sifan. The young Leonhart emptied it fully into his mouth and soon, the cut he had earlier received in his ribs was gone. The tiredness of the situation however, stayed with both men. They both sat on the ground, breathless from the battle with sweat dripping down their faces. Setzin abruptly broke into maniacal laughter as Sifan eyed him oddly.  
  
"I'll be damned KID!!!" he said, laughing vociferously, "I swear... who taught you to fight like that?"  
  
"My father..." Sifan Leonhart replied, wiping the droplets of sweat from his forehead.  
  
"Then why the HELL were you sneaking past that dragon in the omega caves?" Setzin said, still smiling, "You coulda pounded the hell out of the damn thing, kid..."  
  
Sifan didn't respond. He knew the only reason he had defeated Setzin was because of the Renzokuken. And the only reason, he was able to pull off the Renzokuken was because he had ignited it using the painful sentiments left behind in his mind by Avatar. The two warriors wordlessly proceeded towards the town as the sun leisurely brought out the first trace of dawn over the snow-white hills of Lichita.   
  
************************  
  
"What do you say now, Goshen?" percolated the voice of Goddess Aeris from the glossy green HOLY materia.  
  
Her servant was self-effacing and humble in spite of his wisdom and old age, "Yes, your highness... the young Leonhart undeniably has potential... but regrettably, seldom does he realize it or even notice it..."  
  
"True..." the voice spoke in a venerable demeanor, "... and that is where Goshen, I need you..."  
  
"Yes, my goddess..." Goshen responded, "I shall serve you, no matter what the circumstance...."  
  
"I am pleased to hear that, Goshen..." the voice replied, "It is your obligation and servitude to the Gods that has made you live this long..."  
  
"I am grateful, your majesty..."  
  
"I desire your assistance in simply one thing, Goshen..."  
  
"Yes, your highness...?"  
  
"I require you to help the young Leonhart find his competency... little does he know that his capabilities far surpass his father's..."  
  
"Yes, of course, Goddess Aeris... but then... has Lord Cervantus found the young Leonhart worthy?"  
  
"I don't know, Goshen... rarely does Cervantus talk about it..."  
  
"Unless lord Cervantus confers him with the Soul of Honor..."  
  
"... Yes, I know, Goshen... The Soul of Honor... the Lionheart is nothing when it is weighed against that, is it?"  
  
"Ultimecia was fragile enough for the Lionheart, your majesty.... But the one winged angel is far more supreme..."  
  
"................................."  
  
"And if by any wiry probability, Lord Cervantus DOES WISH to bequeath the Soul of Honor on the young Leonhart...."  
  
"Yes... then Cervantus would personally face Sifan Leonhart in battle...."  
  
"And THAT is what scares me, Goddess Aeris... can the young Leonhart stand against a GOD...?"  
  
"................................."  
  
"AND he still has wounds that have to be recovered, your majesty..."  
  
"Yes, Goshen.... bottomless wounds left behind my someone he trusted like his own flesh and blood..."   
  
"And the only way to heal that would be to..."  
  
"Open his heart, Goshen.... open his heart...."   
  
************************  
  
As the sunrays began to illuminate everything around them, Sifan and Setzin arrived at the entrance of the small Lichita town. Setzin stopped near one of the log cabins and lit another cigar casually as he leaned on its wall. Sifan was already taking a hurried step away from the poacher when he interrupted him, "Hold your horses, kid..."  
  
"What...?" Sifan uttered nonchalantly, putting a hand to his forehead.   
  
Setzin tapped the cigar and placed it back into the edge of his dry mouth, "Who stabbed you last night...?"   
  
"W-What...?" Sifan reiterated with a paroxysm of surprise.  
  
"You hearing right?" Setzin muttered, puffing a quick smoke, "Who stabbed you with a sword, last night...?"   
  
Sifan just stared blankly into the poacher's eyes before turning away and watching the sun rise lazily in between a couple of pale mountains.  
  
"Some Shin-Ra sword soldier...?"  
  
Little did Sifan Leonhart intend to articulate the truth, "Yes... it was a Shin-Ra sword soldier...."  
  
"Oh..." Setzin responded, almost sarcastically, "I think I DID see a body back there in the snow..."  
  
"Er... yes..." Sifan said at once, recalling the soldier Avatar had killed the previous night, "I... uh... killed him in self defense...."  
  
"Liar..." Setzin remarked, tapping his cigar again, "It was Avatar, wasn't it...?"  
  
Every word hit Sifan Leonhart's eardrum like a hyper-accelerated bullet. He tightened his jaw as his eyes widened with rude surprise. He just gaped at the man who had said Avatar's name. Finally, Setzin decided to speak.  
  
"I found you lying on the hills last night..." he said, taking a quick inhalation from his brown cigar, "A dragon was planning to make a meal out of you..."  
  
"So you killed the dragon for its nail, brain or whatever...?" Sifan muttered, folding his arms tightly.  
  
Setzin laughed loudly, "Don't be stupid kid, you were dying out there...."  
  
"Whatever..." Sifan replied characteristically, fastening his gaze to the ground.  
  
"Well..." the poacher continued, "As I was on my way down the hill with you on my shoulder, you became conscious for a while... but all you kept mumbling was 'Avatar, why...?' and 'Avatar, how...?' After that, you passed out again..."  
  
"..............................."  
  
"Anyway...." Setzin crushed the cigar under his boot, "I brought you here and I must say, kid... you scared me to death when you showed us vital signs of a dead cadaver..."  
  
"................................"  
  
"You should've seen the poor girl crying..." Setzin said, leaning his head on the wall as staring at the early morning sky, "She must really love you kid...."  
  
The irony in the words Sifan Leonhart heard was partly because they were coming from a seemingly heartless warrior and partly because of the way he had said it. There was a dreamy, almost lost look in the poacher's eyes, as if he was recollecting something long gone or long past. He didn't notice Sifan staring at him and he reached for another cigar but Sifan slapped it out of his hand. Almost immediately, Setzin returned to his senses. He glared at Sifan with his single eye and gave a happy grunt, "Yer lucky, kid.... Don't let her go..."  
  
"Setzin... a piece of advice..." Sifan said with a stone cold voice, "I'd feel comfortable with a bite bug pretending he is omega weapon but not with a guy like you talking about stuff like-"   
  
"Love?" Setzin interceded in his usually harsh tone, "Why can't I take about Love, kid...?"  
  
".................................."  
  
"Yer trying to tell me, guys like us don't know love...?" Setzin said, almost with an angry look in his eye.  
  
"................................."  
  
"I had a family, kid... and a son like you...." Setzin muttered, "Till those damn Shin-Ra-"   
  
He stopped uncomfortably. He heaved a loud sigh and quickly sauntered away from Sifan. As he watched the poacher walk away towards the bar, the words Setzin had uttered returned to his head, much to his annoyance if not to his surprise.   
  
[... "Yer lucky, kid.... Don't let her go..."]  
  
He brushed away the 'irritating' thought and strolled groggily towards the inn. He was about to cross the item shop boorishly but something made him pause. He heaved a pointless sigh and slowly pushed open the door of the shop. Trex was nowhere around. Phillona was staring at the sunrise through a window at the far end of the room. Sifan was about to close the door when he heard Phillona's voice ring out from the corner, "I think he's left, Marlene...I searched all over-"   
  
Sifan opened the door fully. Still, Phillona refused to turn in his direction. She continued to stare at the sunrise as Sifan walked in quietly. He walked to where she was standing, quietly. He didn't know why she was so immersed in watching a sunrise but soon, he realized she was crying. Her sniffs seemed to be the only things that filled the room.   
  
"I am still here...." was all he managed to cough out in a dry voice.  
  
"SEEF!!??" she spun around, her eyes sparkling with tears. The next thing he heard was a louder proclamation of 'Seef' and soon enough, Phillona Strife was holding him in something that felt like a spine-shattering bear hug.  
  
He felt warm for a moment but he resolutely broke the hug immediately and turned away from Phillona. He didn't want any of it. His own voice kept ringing in his mind repeatedly.  
  
[No... No more affection... No more warmth... No more fondness or no more friendliness.... I received all of them from him.... and then... he almost killed me...]  
  
"Seef...?" she said in a concerned voice, placing a hand on his shoulder   
  
He slapped her hand away as if it had burned him. His reaction only made Phillona even more worried, "Seef.... what happened...?"  
  
"Nothing..." he said quietly, gathering the materia he had earlier left on the table, "Just don't touch me..."  
  
"What happened between you and Avatar...?" she said clearly, almost sending the words into his head as painfully as Setzin had.   
  
Sifan Leonhart had had enough.  
  
[Hell, I'll tell them... then they can pity me, talk about me, even gossip about it and announce it to the whole goddamn world....]  
  
He spun around, a look of utter pain and angst in his eyes, "You wanna know what happened between me and Avatar!? I'LL TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENED!!!!"  
  
"HERE!" he shouted, pulling down the neckline of his shirt, revealing the scar, "THAT IS WHAT FUCKING HAPPENED!!!! HE SENT HIS DAMN BLADE THROUGH ME! BUT I SURVIVED! YES, HIS POOR LITTLE BEST FRIEND SURVIVED BY SOME GODDAMN MIRACLE!"  
  
He couldn't believe the way he was shouting to Phillona. He turned away from her and grabbed the remaining materia hastily. When he turned back to her, she was trying hard to choke back tears that were starting to well in her eyes. She was about to say something when Sifan put his hand up, his eyes colder than Shiva herself, "Save your sympathy for someone who needs them..."  
  
He planted the materia in his coat pocket and marched away out of the item shop, almost slamming the door behind him to splinters.  
  
{You're not making this any better for yourself, you know...}  
  
[You!]  
  
{..............}  
  
[You knew this was going to happen! That's why you were giving me that 'don't be a loner' speech the other day!]   
  
{.............}   
  
[Why the hell didn't you TELL ME?]  
  
{..............}  
  
[Answer me, dammit!]  
  
{It was in Avatar's hands till the very end, Sifan...}  
  
[But you knew!]  
  
{It was just a fear of what might happen... not knowledge....}  
  
He didn't want to hear anymore of anybody. Even Lyris for that matter. He shut her out of his head and proceeded up the stairs leading to the inn. He stormed inside and headed straight for the corridor containing his room when the receptionist called out his name. He sighed and walked over to the inn reception. The short man took out a small envelope and placed it on the desk. He hurriedly muttered a barely perceptible 'Thank you' and walked to his room, while examining the envelope. There was just 'Sifan Leonhart' printed in bold letters on the front. He hurriedly turned the envelope over to see whether it had the sender's name or address.   
  
On small but comprehensible letters were written the words, 'From Squall Leonhart...'  
  
  
  
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-------------------------------------------------  
  
A/N: well guys, please review more... I didn't get as many revs for the last chapter as I usually do.... Oh well... you might have noticed my style of writing underwent a major surgery in this chapter (see the first part of it...) tell me whether this is better or my previous one is better...  
  
Till next time, adios.... 


	44. CHAPTER 44

A/N: ok.... O_0.... Sorry.... That's about all I can say... I am going thru a lotta shit in my life.... Anyway.... I am tryin to get things back to normal... oh well...  
  
I suggest a quick re-read (I know, I know... quick re-reading 43 chapters is not a walk in the park....)... I don't know if my fic is worth going thru all that trouble but please... it will help u to latch on to the story and enjoy it better....  
  
I will update regularly from now.... (I ll keep my promise this time....)  
  
And forgive me if this is not my usual standard... I will take a little time to be as good as I was a few months ago....  
  
Oh well... on with ze story....   
  
Chapter 45  
  
The black-haired ninja's hair blew across his dark brown eyes as he stared across the horizon. Keiara's Shin-Ra office looked gloomier than ever as the SeeD stood before the large window, gazing at the ruby red morning sky with an expressionless look on his face. What he had done the previous night forced its way into his mind like a bullet. He clenched his jaw, tightened his fists and grunted in disgust. The image of him thrusting his sword through Sifan Leonhart's flesh failed to provoke any regret inside his stone cold heart. He had the slightest clue to what was happening to him. But one thing was certain. The transition from a SeeD apprentice to a heartless ninja was complete. The real Avatar Fenis was finally awake. The other side of him that was once a part of the Leonhart family was non-existent. He was Ultimecia's son... not Squall Leonhart's....   
  
As he stood staring at the sun from the tall Shin-Ra building's terrace, the figure of a woman slowly made it's way to him. Keiara Fenis had never looked happier. A calm smile was present on her lips as she placed a gentle hand on the shoulder of her brother.   
  
Avatar heaved, "How long are we gonna stay in Midgar?"  
  
His sister nodded, "Our Airship is at the moment undergoing repairs. Once that's done we'll need to leave to the lair of the Fenis guardian...."  
  
"But..." the black-haired ninja turned around, "I already...."  
  
"Well, yes..." Keiara smiled, "There is one more Fenis Guardian that has to be summoned with my Fenis ring."  
  
She raised her hand and showed her brother a small silver ring on her finger, exactly the same as Avatar's.  
  
"The black-cloaked Fenis guardian... the one you have.... his name is Straos..." Keiara said, throwing back her red hair, "... he's the weaker of the two...."  
  
"Weak?" Avatar smiled, "He didn't look all that weak when he sliced up a Marlboro that tried to attack me...."  
  
"I am speaking comparatively, Avatar..." Keiara said, as the two of them took the elevator down to Keiara's Shin-Ra office, "Dhaos is yet to be awaken from his slumber. Once we have both the Fenis Guardians, we can start...."  
  
"Start...?" Avatar raised a puzzled eyebrow.  
  
"You'll know soon enough...." Said Keiara, giving another wry smile to her brother.  
  
  
  
********************  
  
Setzin sat on the barstool, gazing absorbedly at the ceiling fan going in circles. The atmosphere of the place didn't do much to help his mood. His gray and black tresses of hair sat lazily on his shoulders as his face looked expressionless. A blunt look rested in his eye. The other one remained closed as usual. The long brown cape he wore was wrapped tightly around his shoulders. His temples throbbed as he emptied another glass of heavy fuel in a gurgle.  
  
So there he was.... the man who had lost everything. He did his best to shut his mind up from thinking but it was no use. He couldn't run forever. Nobody could.  
  
********************  
  
It was raining buckets when a hunter named Setzin exited the Wutai forest, a dead deer on his shoulders. He yawned lazily as he held a tremendously large weapon in one hand. The tall grass trail back home to Wutai village was something he looked forward to, every day of his life. He walked, whistling a peaceful song. The sun shone brightly as he looked up and glared at it. He thought of his wife, her beautiful arms that waited everyday for him. It was followed by the thought of his only pride and joy, his 17-year old son. A giant smile formed on his face. And that... was the last time Setzin had ever smiled from the bottom of his heart.  
  
The smell of smoke entered his nostrils, wiping away the smile on his face. He chopped away the tall grass in front of him, dropped the deer and ran towards the village. The scent grew stronger and then he saw it.... In front of his eyes, Wutai was burning.   
  
Screaming with rage, he ran towards the village entrance, weapon in hand. The gates were crashed down and in front of him were people and children, running chaotically. The wind howled the fire across the village as the wooden cottages came crashing down in front of his eyes. Shin-Ra soldiers continued to slash anything in sight as Setzin scampered into the madness. Monsters were let loose. A giant behemoth charged at an old man, sending him skidding across the rocky ground to his death. An Iron giant smashed the remains of the inn to the ground. Screams and bellows raged from everywhere.  
  
Setzin set off at once, amongst all the chaos, towards his house but before he knew it, something hard struck his skull from behind and he sank to the ground, his vision blurring slowly.  
  
He grit his teeth and turned his throbbing head to his assailant. He had blonde hair. On his face was a cocky grin and in his hand, he held a shiny weapon Setzin had never seen before. He walked up to him and kicked him again on the same place where he had been earlier struck. Before he blacked out, his eyes fell on his opponent's clothing.  
  
Against the bluish background of his coat pocket were inscribed the words, 'SeeD cadet no. 14536- RELAFEN ALMASY.'  
  
  
  
*******************  
  
The one-eyed warrior emptied the third glass of wine in another violent draught as the door of the gloomy glacian bar swung open. Phillona Strife walked in, a mixed expression on her face. She sighed when she saw Setzin sitting drunk by himself. She took a seat near him after canceling the fourth turn of wine Setzin had ordered from the bartender.  
  
"Stop drinking your head off....." Phillona said, "Sifan's alive..."  
  
Setzin's eyes lit up like the morning sky, "W-What...?"  
  
"Yeah...." She smiled, "He made it...."  
  
"I knew that kid had potential...." Setzin muttered and turned around from Phillona, "Just like my boy...."  
  
".... You had a family?"  
  
"...Shin-Ra's attack on Wutai... they were killed..."  
  
"I am sorry......"  
  
"I could've saved them..."  
  
"Don't.... Please.... Don't blame yourself.... It's not going to help you move on in life...."  
  
"I am to blame.... And.... One of those Shin-Ra bastards... His name.... I 'll never forget it as long as I breathe...."  
  
"Rupert Thorne?"  
  
"No...." Setzin turned around, pure hatred in his eye, "... Relafen Almasy...."  
  
Phillona felt her heart take a giant dive to her stomach, "R-Relafen...."  
  
"Yeah...." Setzin grunted, "He's one of them commanders...."  
  
"I am sorry Setzin.... I... I have to go..."   
  
Phillona rushed through the door and stormed into the chilly air outside. What she had just heard was the last thing she needed. She had spent the whole morning in the glacia inn, trying to get Sifan to see her. Her pleads hadn't moved him and the door of his room never did click open.   
  
Pushing away the thought of Relafen in the Wutai attack, she strode to the inn hurriedly. Once again, she made her way to Sifan's door and knocked hard.  
  
Silence greeted her at once.  
  
"Seef.... Please... open up...."  
  
She met only with mute response yet again.  
  
"Seef... please...." Her voice grew weak. She hadn't eaten a crumb since the entire Avatar incident and it was finally taking its toll on her.  
  
Just as she was about to knock again, the door clicked open to her pleasant surprise. She gently opened it and walked in to see a paralyzed Sifan Leonhart stand in front of her, as expressionless as ever. His eyes were crimson red. His hair was in disarray and his lips were dry. He looked up at her, and then diverted his sight to the window. Clenched in his hand tightly, was the letter he had supposedly received from Squall Leonhart.  
  
Phillona walked up where he was standing. He refused to even acknowledge her presence. Sifan Leonhart had gone colder than the glacian snowfields.   
  
"Seef...."  
  
"..................."  
  
"Seef.... I am so sorr-"  
  
"I told you...." He mumbled, "I don't need your sympathy...."  
  
"You let me in just so you could hurt me...?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"...................."  
  
"If you didn't need me.... You wouldn't have opened the door for me...."  
  
"I don't need anyone...... I don't need you..... I don't need Avatar.... I.... I..."  
  
A few minutes of silence hung between the two of them.  
  
Phillona's eyes soon strayed on to the piece of paper in Sifan's hand. He quickly stuffed it into his coat pocket and before she could ask any questions, he bluntly hit her with the "None of your business." Line.  
  
"I am going to the Gondola village..." he said in a cold voice, "I have to meet someone there..."  
  
"I am coming with you...."  
  
"No.... we part here.... we part now...."  
  
"Seef, no... please.... I want to-"   
  
"Goodbye, Phillona...." He muttered, picking up the gunblade holster and fixing it to his side. He walked past her without another word towards the exit.  
  
He opened the door only to stare into the face of the one-eyed poacher. Setzin tossed the cigar butt behind him and pushed Sifan back into the inn room, shutting the door behind him.  
  
"Ya think it's all over kid?"  
  
"Let me go..." was all Sifan's voice materialized into.  
  
"Hell, no.... not on your own...."  
  
"Stay the hell outta my-"   
  
Setzin's sleep spell caught Sifan Leonhart unacquainted. He stumbled backwards in a daze and then slumped into the bed and fell asleep at once.   
  
Setzin turned to Phillona and grunted, "Take good care of the kid.... We're gonna see him through wherever he needs to go...."  
  
Phillona smiled, "Yeah..."  
  
After Setzin left, closing the door behind him, Phillona sat near the fast asleep Leonhart. She ran a gentle finger along the side of his face and whispered, "Seef.... I am going to love you back to life.... I.... I Promise...."  
  
*********************  
  
A/N: Please don't forget to review...  
  
Though it may not seem like it in this chapter, a lotta ppl have told me this fic has the potential to be the best FF crossover on ff.net.... 


	45. CHAPTER 45

Chapter 46  
  
Sifan Leonhart's eyelids slowly opened themselves as if they were scared to allow his eyes to look at the world. His head still felt woozy after all the beating his mind had taken ever since the Avatar incident. He shook himself lazily and slowly sat up. He found himself in a bed covered with spotless white bedspreads. Beside his bed was a small table with a plate of sandwiches and a glass of milk. In one corner stood the picture of Trex smiling his head off along with Marlene and Phillona. The young Leonhart immediately assumed the place to belong to Trex or one of his family relatives. He lazily flicked a strand of hair away from his ocean blue eyes and turned to his left, still half-lying down on the bed. The sun shone through the lazy window drapes as he gazed upon the shabby looking inn where he had spent, probably the worst three days of his life. He sighed; still feeling a bit sleepy. He slowly sat up straight, his feet lazily touching the clean wooden floor. Though the brown-haired SeeD was nowhere near feeling contented, he couldn't help but feel at ease looking at the food. He yawned and picked up the plate just as the door creaked open and Phillona Strife walked into the room, her brown, long hair following her like a curtain.  
  
She smiled when he saw the young Leonhart sitting there, seeming so clueless as to what to do with the sandwich in his hand. Sifan glared at the brown-eyed beauty before him. He returned his stare to the sandwich and slowly started munching on it, ignoring his visitor. Phillona took a seat near him and watched him slowly eat the sandwich. She felt like just holding his hand and telling him things were going to be fine but considering the hateful way he usually responded to affection, she held back.  
  
After finishing the sandwich, Sifan slowly turned around and gazed at Phillona, "What happened...?"  
  
She tilted her head sideways, "Uh.... We kind of decided you needed rest after everything-"  
  
"Sleep spell..." he muttered nonchalantly, "He hit me with a sleep spell...."  
  
"For your own good, Seef...." Phillona said patiently, "you looked like you were gonna pull out your gunblade and stab yourself..."  
  
[I.... I.... wanted to...]  
  
"Hey.... forgot to tell you.... Setzin's going hunting in a few minutes.... He said he wanted you to join him..."  
  
He nodded half-heartedly.  
  
She smiled sheepishly and cleared her throat, "uh... how were the sandwiches? I am bad at-"  
  
"They were fine." He mumbled, "Avatar was always.... Good at.... Making.... Sandwiches...."  
  
She enveloped his fingers in the palm of her hand when she saw Sifan's jaw tighten.  
  
"Seef...." was all her shaky voice could come up with.  
  
Just as expected, he uncomfortably eased his fingers out of Phillona's grasp. He stood up, and diverted his attention to the whereabouts of his gunblade.  
  
Phillona crouched and pulled out Sifan's sheath from under the bed and handed it to him, "Be careful..."  
  
He gave her another half-intended nod and made his way out of the room, closing the door behind him. Cloud Strife's daughter threw herself on the bed where Sifan had been asleep and gazed at an eagle soaring against the sunlight.  
  
Far away in another continent, under a large tree, sat a green-eyed EX- SOLDIER staring at the same eagle, a gentle smile on his face.  
  
************************  
  
The dark eyed ninja took a silent stroll down the streets of the Midgar slum. Not a single sound disturbed his ears as he took small steps, walking towards the small hut towards a dark corner of the slum. Avatar Fenis was nowhere near a pleasant mood, making him all the more irritated to hear footsteps following him. He paused, the midnight wind blowing his long ponytail across the back of his neck.  
  
Soon, the footsteps grew louder and out of the shadows stepped out a scruffy looking thug, a dagger in his hand. Beside him stood his tall counterpart armed with the same weapon. The both of them smirked at the ninja.  
  
The short one scratched his head, "Hand it over, ya?"  
  
"Yeah...." His companion guffawed, "For yer own good..."  
  
Avatar continued to walk as if the only thing behind him was Midgar's foul- smelling air.  
  
"Hey...! Hand yer gills over YA?" the short thug reinstated, "or we kill ya here, YA?"  
  
It was the companion's turn again, "you heard Vakka, didn't ya?"  
  
The ninja turned around, flashing out his death blade in a smooth elegant swipe. The shine settled deep into the thug's eyes.  
  
"You wanna play tough with us, ya?" Vakka growled, "you gonna pay, ya?"  
  
"Yeah... you gonna pay..." the tall sidekick replied.  
  
The two of them rushed at Avatar Fenis, weapons outstretched.  
  
*************************  
  
Relafen Almasy swung the door open and marched into Professor Lorenz's office, his expression completely bemused, bamboozled and all at sea. He threw a dirty look at the insane scientist and slumped down in front of him on a wooden chair. He opened his mouth to speak and then closed it again.  
  
Lorenz decided to do the honor of speaking first, "So... did you find it...?"  
  
"Find what...?"  
  
"The container... that you ever so carelessly dropped off your airship during that race of yours...."  
  
"No...."  
  
Lorenz decided against throwing the table lamp near him at the Shin-Ra commander, "Then what are you doing back here...?"  
  
"Seph...." The young Almasy started.  
  
"Seph...?" Lorenz's shabby eyebrows shot up straight.  
  
"Sephiroth...." Relafen completed uncomfortably, "I met... Sephiroth at... Gondola village..."  
  
Lorenz's heart almost fell to the bottom of his stomach, "w-what...?"  
  
"Sephiroth... THE Sephiroth...."  
  
A bead of sweat quickly ran down Lorenz's brow before he quickly wiped it away and managed a sheepy smile, "Oh THAT...."  
  
Relafen raised an eyebrow, "THAT?"  
  
"Didn't you hear?" Lorenz blurted out, guffawing stupidly like a laughing horse, "There's this Sephiroth look alike there... who... er...."  
  
"I KNEW IT!" Relafen jumped to his feet.  
  
Soon the two of them laughed like maniacs although Lorenz was running out of patience to keep up his fake laugh. Relafen on the other hand, laughed like he hadn't done so in a million years.  
  
Soon the air returned to normal and Relafen began to speak, still throwing a cocky laugh now and then, "yeah.... He shook my hand!!!! HAHA!!! Sephiroth ...? SHAKING HANDS?!?!??! HAHAHAHHA!!! NO WONDER HE WAS A FAKE! HE EVEN OFFERED TO HELP ME SEARCH FOR THE CONTAINER!!! HAHAHAHAHHA!!"  
  
Just then, the phone in Relafen's pocket began to throw a tantrum. The young commander picked it up, wiping the tears of laughter in his eyes. He talked seriously for a few minutes and hung up while Lorenz did all he can to look amused by Relafen's experience.  
  
Relafen threw his head backwards and stretched himself, "Need to meet Rupert...."  
  
"Oh yeah...." Lorenz said, half- nervously, "He was... er... searching for you some time back..."  
  
Relafen nodded, "We'll laugh over this fake Sephiroth some other time, eh?"  
  
"Yeah, of course!" Lorenz spat out, "and uh... you can forget searching for the container.... I guess I can afford to lose it...."  
  
The blonde-haired commander was more than content to hear it. He smiled and shrugged. Soon enough he disappeared into the elevator outside Lorenz's office, humming a pleasant tune to himself.  
  
Meanwhile inside the office, a very aggravated Lorenz sat with his head sunk in his hands, driving his mind crazy as usual. He then suddenly reached for his diary and began to scribble vigorously.  
  
*********************  
  
Sifan Leonhart's gunblade finished off whatever was left of the grat as Setzin returned to a relaxed stance. The young Leonhart, however, refused to let the grat die peacefully. He hacked whatever was left of the plant monster into nothingness. Swinging his sword in furious arcs, he continued to assault the monster, it's tentacles gored out of their place.  
  
"ENOUGH!!!" Setzin screamed, but the SeeD paid little attention, continuing to gore the grat, "STOP NOW! ENOUGH!"  
  
Rivers of sweat ran down Sifan Leonhart's face as he backed off from the dead heap of the monster. He sat on the rocky ground, allowing his gunblade to fall beside him. Setzin walked to the grat and extracted the sleep juice fluid from its only remaining tentacle. After sealing the container in which he had taken the juice, he walked over to Sifan and reached out his hand. The boy continued to stare at the ground.  
  
"Listen, kid...." Setzin muttered, "I know you've fallen through hard times... I know you can't trust anyone or anything for that matter.... But the fact is.... We are willing to help you out.... Don't ask me why... but we are willing to help you out...."  
  
"I don't need anyone... or anything.... Leave me alone...."  
  
Setzin laughed ironically, "Lets see what you do on your own..."  
  
"........................"  
  
"Get your ass up kid. Don't be such a goddamn loser. Show the world what ya got..."  
  
The brown haired SeeD eyed Setzin from the corner of his eyes as he slowly dusted himself, and got to his feet. Soon, the two of them silently began to walk out of the forest leaving nothing behind but the remains of many an unfortunate grat.  
  
"Today is the golden saucer anniversary...." Setzin said as the two of them walked back towards the glacian village, "The Battle Square section is gonna be filled with the best competitors in the world... cause the prize is big..."  
  
Sifan muttered something inaudible under his breath, while Setzin continued, "Shin-Ra personnel... are actually allowed to take part... though they own the place...."  
  
"How fair is that...?"  
  
"Not very...."  
  
"So.... What's on your mind? The prize?"  
  
"Two things.... Firstly, if you enter the competition...we ll find out what you're really made of.... And the other thing is...."  
  
".... What? some stupid jellyfish eyeball that you searching for...?"  
  
Setzin was least amused by the young Leonhart. However, nothing near an apology escaped the SeeD's mouth.  
  
"No... the prize is.... The alloy of the cursed..."  
  
"Sounds intriguing Setzin.... Sure does... but I think I am cursed enough.... no thank you..."  
  
"The alloy of the cursed.... Used by the knights of the round.... Only metal capable of penetrating a certain monster's armor...."  
  
"Oh... lemme see.... I have to fight a million warriors to get some dumb cursed alloy that's gonna put a hole in some monster's-"  
  
"Omega weapon..." Setzin grunted, sick of Sifan's sarcasm.  
  
************************  
  
Vakka's blood trickled out from the arteries of his neck, only to meet with that of his companion, as both the dead bodies lay slumped on each other.  
  
Killing had never been so easy for the young Fenis as he walked away from the scene, sheathing his bloody katana.  
  
A series of swift swipes, Artful movements rivaling those of a snake, an emotionless mind frame, and a merciless conscience....  
  
Avatar Fenis was a born Killer....  
  
*************************  
  
The horse neighed and snorted, setting all its six legs back to the ground. Odin, the ghost warrior alighted from the horse, his eyes flashing red, his rough skin, a sign of his immortality. The Zantetsuken rested along his side; as he walked into the castle, his long, weathered cape fluttering behind him.  
  
The chamber that greeted him was not empty. In one corner, engulfed in a fiery sphere stood Ifrit observing everything with silence. In another corner, Ramuh stroked Ixion with his lightning staff. In another icy part of the chamber stood Shiva, lost in thought.  
  
In the middle of the chamber, on his knees, was the outlawed esper, Caraduin. His hands were tied behind with deathly tight chains. His blue skin was battered and bruised. There were burn marks across his chest. Small icy thorns were also seen stuck in his flesh. His eyes were a deep red and his moderately long horns were visible from amidst the rummages of his hair.  
  
"It was not easy..." Shiva's icy tone filled the air, "Took all four of us to defeat him..."  
  
"Swine...." Was all Ifrit could growl.  
  
Ramuh was silent, still stroking the thunder horse's back as Odin walked up to Caraduin, his steel armored boots clanging the chamber's ground. He stood before Caraduin, eyeing him for some time.  
  
He cleared his throat and looked up at the Espers that surrounded him, "Thou may taketh leave. I shall make thy conquest known unto King Orion..."  
  
The Espers nodded and left soon, walking out of the castle, now and then looking back, wondering what Caraduin's fate was going to be. Ramuh, the age-old thunder guardian paused before exiting, turning around to Odin, raising his thick eyebrow.  
  
Odin nodded in reply. Ramuh sighed and quickly exited the castle.  
  
The ghost warrior turned around and looked at the outlawed Esper.  
  
"For decades.... Thy insolent tongue hath been unpunished..." Odin's voice thundered, "For centuries, thy deeds against his highness hath gone unjustified...."  
  
There was no reply.  
  
Odin's eyes showed no mercy as he lifted the Zantetsuken over Caraduin's head, "Now.... Thy time hath come.... thou art unworthy of life..... Rest in peace...."  
  
**********************  
  
A/N: Sorry guys.... I will take a little time to update... hopefully.... It should get more frequent...  
  
Oh and if any good author is interested in guest writing a chapter for me.... Let me know....  
  
Please REVIEW!!... 


	46. END OF PART I

**Author's mad ramblings:**  
  
This is just to let all of you know that I will be continuing this fiction in a separate title 'FFCOD: PART II'... I am making it a three-part series...(I have my reasons...)  
  
So that means, this part is complete...  
  
Hopefully...I shall have the next part up by the first of August. (Sorry... need to spend the whole of July for my exams)  
  
Well I invested the whole of last night, sitting up and reading my first- ever fic, all the way from chapter 1 to 45 and I must say... thought I twitched and ached a bit over my amateurish-writing style, I felt pretty nice with the way all the characters have turned out...  
  
However, a majority of readers have skipped this piece of fiction, afraid its just another one of the Mary-Sues that unfortunately, haunt all realms of the FF8 fandom on FF.net. The moment they see 'Sifan' or 'Phillona' in the summary, they jump to the conclusion that it's another fan boy fantasy with self-insertion, etc... That way, its pretty disappointing since none of my characters are self-inserted entities... They have their own character, imperfections, good/bad points, etc... and well, don't mean to boast but a lot of people have told me that I have the best set of second generation characters in an FF fic...

* * *

I ve become really attached to all my characters and feel like they're always in my head (A lot of writers should know this feeling) and strangely, it's funny how a lot readers actually like my characters... (Especially Sifan and Avatar...)   
  
Just going to rant on my most important characters a little...  
  
**_Sifan Leonhart:_** Well... to be honest, Seef turned out to be a lot like his father. He is pretty Squallish and bit more extreme when it came to anti- social antics. More than I wanted him to be. His anti-social characteristics seemed to have annoyed a lot of readers but at the same time, made them fall in love with him, which I never expected. I thought people would hate Seef, but it turned out quite the opposite. A lot of people asked me how I came up with the name 'Sifan'.. I had a whole bunch of names actually...(which are too funny to be discussed here...) but only one of them went along perfectly with Leonhart and well... I decided to use it...  
  
I guess a bigger part of his character depends on how he is in the second part... A lot of people feel Sifan's being too passive, too weak, etc... I am not spilling any beans but the second part should hopefully fix that...trust me, it will... :)  
  
**_Phillona Strife:_** I can't say anything here... expect that she'll play a huge part in the second part... and she should be more in the limelight without Sifan hogging up all of it...  
  
More of her character should be revealed in the next part... her detailed past including Cloud and company...  
  
As far as the Phillona/Sifan thing goes... should be having a lot of that coming in Part II.... where the two of them define a real relationship...amongst all the bad craziness going on.... (So fluff fans... Rejoice!!)  
  
**_Avatar Fenis:_** The whole Sifan-Avatar twist along with his past and everything is probably the climax of part I... though it wasn't that much of a surprise to many readers, it did do the plot a whole lot of good...  
  
As far as his character goes... let's just say... At this point, Avatar's character is at crossroads... Just like Sifan's... I am not giving away how he'll be in part II... not all nice and sugary again... that's for sure...  
  
**_Relafen Almasy:_** Yes I haven't been fair to him... yes sir... not fair at all... That should hopefully change in the next part...that's all I am telling here...  
  
Ok that's it for my babbling about my characters...  
  
Now,  
  
**_Sephiroth:_** Ah yes... good ol' Sephy...sometimes I wonder who I like more... Sifan or Sephy... oh well... both I guess... as far as he goes... I'll say this much... you WILL have Sephiroth in part II... not telling how he's gonna be...But you will have him in a way... you wont quite expect....

* * *

Ok... now for the biggest question everyone wants to know:  
  
**Will Squall Leonhart crossover?**  
  
I can leave you in suspense but I wont... sorry people... but No... No Squall Leonhart or any of the FF8 characters crossing over... The whole father and son fighting evil together idea gives me a clichéd feeling I don't like too well. Also, having Squall here would go against everything I have spun in part I... the whole Aeris-Cervantus thing... so I ll tell you straight...Squall Leonhart will not cross over...  
  
I believe all my readers like this fic for their own reasons but I don't think any of them like it because they're hoping that at some point, the FF8 characters would jump in and everyone will have a bash (I shudder at the thought)...

* * *

  
Well... It's been a long ride and I've enjoyed every minute of it... I am grateful that my first fic has turned out to be an above-average one...(My writing, however, leaves a lot to be improved and I shall keep that in mind while writing the second part...)  
  
I know and I apologize for that fact that towards the end, updates became very rare (like once in two months though I promise one in a couple of days...)  
  
Just been very busy. Real life sucks :-( but I've decided to allot separate time for this...Sometimes I feel no one's reading/has read/will ever read this fiction but I guess a lot of people have read it. Just that only a few of them pop out to review. I am grateful for those reviewers and readers. Thanks a bunch, you guys.  
  
I have noticed a few, very minor plot holes in my fic. I should get about fixing them soon enough. For the majority of it, it's been alright, I guess.  
  
Any comments on this part of FFCOD are welcome... I ll be happy to hear about your experience with my fic (Good/Bad/Anything....)  
  
I need all the feedback possible...that's the only way I can make the second part better than this...  
  
Anyways, time of sign off....  
  
Thank you for your support...  
  
Cheerio,

Johan Erickson N.


End file.
